Methods and vectors for producing transgenic plants

ABSTRACT

Methods of, and compositions for, assembling one or more transcription units in a genome without a linked selectable marker or other unwanted transcription unit are provided. Also provided methods of, and compositions for, assembling one or more transcription units in a genome with a reduced frequency of vector backbone.

I. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. Ser.No. 13/715,063, filed Dec. 14, 2012 (now U.S. Patent No. 8,895,808),which is a divisional of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 12/504,646,filed Jul. 16, 2009(now U.S. Patent No. 8,338,665), which claims thebenefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/129,739 filed Jul. 16, 2008 (now expired). Each of the foregoingapplications is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

II. INCORPORATION OF SEQUENCE LISTING

This application contains a sequence listing ASCII text file named“Sequence_Listing.txt”, which is 11,471 bytes in size (measured inWindows 7 and which was created on Oct. 22, 2014, and submitted herewithvia EFS-Web in compliance with 37 C.F.R. §1.824(a)(2)-(6) and (b).

III. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Methods of, and compositions for, assembling one or more transcriptionunits in a genome without a linked selectable marker or other unwantedor unnecessary transcription unit are provided. Also provided aremethods of, and compositions for, assembling one or more transcriptionunits in a genome with a reduced frequency of vector backbone.

IV. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Transformation of plant cells by an Agrobacterium-mediated methodinvolves exposing plant cells and tissues to a suspension ofAgrobacterium cells that contain certain DNA plasmids. These plasmidshave often been specifically constructed to contain transgenes that willexpress in plant cells (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,322). Mostoften, one or more of the transgenes is a selectable marker transgenethat permits plant cells to grow in the presence of a positive selectioncompound, such as an antibiotic or herbicide. These cells can be furthermanipulated to regenerate into whole fertile plants.

Methods for introducing transgenes into plants by anAgrobacterium-mediated transformation method generally involve a T-DNA(transfer DNA) that incorporates the genetic elements of at least onetransgene and transfers those genetic elements into the genome of aplant. The transgene(s) are typically constructed in a DNA plasmidvector and are usually flanked by an Agrobacterium Ti plasmid rightborder DNA region (RB) and a left border DNA region (LB). During theprocess of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, the DNA plasmid isnicked by an endonuclease, VirD2, at the right and left border regions.A single strand of DNA from between the nicks, called the T-strand, istransferred from the Agrobacterium cell to the plant cell. The sequencecorresponding to the T-DNA region is inserted into the plant genome.

Integration of the T-DNA into the plant genome generally begins at theRB and continues to the end of the T-DNA, at the LB. However,endonucleases sometimes do not nick equally at both borders. When thishappens, the T-DNA that is inserted into the plant genome often containssome or all of the plasmid vector DNA. This phenomenon is referred to as“read-through.” A desired approach is often that only the transgene(s)located between the right and left border regions (the T-DNA) istransferred into the plant genome without any of the adjacent plasmidvector DNA (the vector backbone). Vector backbone DNA contains variousplasmid maintenance elements, including for example, origin ofreplications, bacterial selectable marker genes, and other DNA fragmentsthat are not required to express the desired trait(s) in plants.

Chen et al. (Functional Plant Biology (2005) 32:671-681) assert thatthey have developed a T-DNA method designed to reduce the frequency oftransformed plants with multiple copies of the T-DNA. Chen et al. doesnot provide a 2T-DNA system and was not designed to specificallyeliminate the frequency of transformed plants with linked insertions.Moreover, Chen et al. does not provide a strategy to eliminate vectorbackbone correlated with linked insertions. The approach of Chen et al.does not permit the transcriptional unit to be oriented in any directionand was not designed to produce single copy plants that are marker-free.

V. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1: A schematic of a vector pMON97396. Without being limited,pMON97396 has the following elements in order: a right border region, atranscription unit, a left border region, an origin of replicationregion, a left border region, a transcription unit, a promoter sequence,and a right border region.

FIG. 2: A schematic of a vector pMON97397. Without being limited,pMON97397 has the following elements in order: a right border region, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a transcription unit, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a left border region, anorigin of replication region, a left border region, a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence, a promoter sequence, atranscription unit, a promoter sequence, a shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence, and a right border region.

FIG. 3: A schematic of a vector pMON108800. Without being limited,pMON108800 has the following elements in order: a right border region, atranscription unit, a left border region, a non-lethal negativeselectable marker gene, an origin of replication, a left border region,a transcription unit, and a right border region.

FIG. 4: A schematic of a vector pMON108847. Without being limited,pMON108847 has the following elements in order: a right border region, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a transcription unit, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a left border region, anorigin of replication region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence, a left border region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence, a promoter sequence, a transcription unit, a promotersequence, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, and a rightborder region.

FIG. 5: A schematic of a vector pMON108841. Without being limited,pMON108841 has the following elements in order: a right border region, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a transcription unit, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a left border region, anorigin of replication region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence, a left border region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence, a transcription unit, a promoter sequence, a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence, and a right border region.

FIG. 6: A schematic of vectors pMON108849 and pMON108851. Without beinglimited, pMON108849 has the following elements in order: a right borderregion, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a transcriptionunit, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a left borderregion, a non-lethal negative selectable marker gene, and an origin ofreplication. Without being limited, pMON108851 has the followingelements in order: a Limited Host Range plasmid, a right border region,a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a promoter, atranscription unit, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, and aleft border region.

FIG. 7: A schematic of a vector pMON108882. Without being limited,pMON108882 has the following elements in order: a right border region, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a transcription unit, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a left border region, anorigin of replication region, a left border region, a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence, a promoter sequence, atranscription unit, a promoter sequence, a shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence, and a second right border region.

FIG. 8: A schematic of a vector pMON108883. Without being limited,pMON108883 has the following elements in order: a right border region, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a transcription unit, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a left border region, anorigin of replication region, a left border region, a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence, a promoter sequence, atranscription unit, a promoter sequence, a shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence, and a right border region.

FIG. 9: A schematic of a vector pMON108876. Without being limited,pMON108876 has the following elements in order: a right border region, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a transcription unit, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a left border region, anorigin of replication region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence, a left border region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence, a promoter sequence, a transcription unit, a promotersequence, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, and a rightborder region.

FIG. 10: A schematic of a vector pMON108878. Without being limited,pMON108878 has the following elements in order: a right border region, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a transcription unit, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a left border region, anorigin of replication region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence, a left border region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence, a promoter sequence, a transcription unit, a promotersequence, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, and a rightborder region.

FIG. 11 A schematic of a vector pMON108879. Without being limited,pMON108879 has the following elements in order: a right border region, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a transcription unit, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, a left border region, anorigin of replication region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence, a left border region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence, a promoter sequence, a transcription unit, a promotersequence, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, and a rightborder region.

FIG. 12: A schematic of a vector pMON108880. Without being limited,pMON108880 has the following elements: a right border region, a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence, a transcription unit, a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence, a left border region, an origin ofreplication region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, aleft border region, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, apromoter sequence, a transcription unit, a promoter sequence, a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence, and a right border region.

VI. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a nucleic acid molecule comprising afirst DNA segment comprising a first transcription unit flanked on bothsides by a first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesin opposite orientation to each other and located between a first leftborder region and a first right border region, where a first and secondtranscribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked to a firstborder regions and a first border regions flank a first DNA segment; anda second DNA segment comprising a second transcription unit flanked onboth sides by a third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence in opposite orientation to each other and located between asecond left border region and a second right border region, where athird and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arephysically linked to a second border regions and a second border regionsflank a second DNA segment, and a third shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence is physically linked and operably linked to a promoter;where the first, second, third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences are homologous to a portion of a second transcriptionunit.

The present invention includes a nucleic acid molecule including a DNAsegment comprising a transcription unit flanked on both sides by a firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of asame or different transcription unit and are physically linked to thefirst border regions and the first border regions flank the DNA segment.In another aspect, the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arehomologous to a portion of a different transcription unit which is aselectable marker gene.

The present invention includes a nucleic acid molecule including a DNAsegment comprising a transcription unit flanked on both sides by a firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of asame or different transcription unit and are physically linked to thefirst border regions and the first border regions flank the DNA segment.In another aspect, the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arehomologous to a portion of a different transcription unit which is aselectable marker gene.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a nucleic acidmolecule including a DNA segment having a transcription unit flanked onboth sides by a first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence in opposite orientation to each other and located between afirst left border region and a first right border region, where thefirst and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arehomologous to a portion of a different transcription unit that containsa selectable marker gene and are physically linked to the first borderregions and the first border regions flank the DNA segment. In anotheraspect, the present invention includes a nucleic acid molecule includinga DNA segment with a first transcription unit flanked on both sides by afirst and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of afirst or second transcription unit and are physically linked to thefirst border regions and the first border regions flank the DNA segment,where the first transcription unit does not comprise a terminationsequence. In an aspect, the second transcription unit does not comprisea termination sequence. In another aspect, the nucleic acid moleculefurther has a Limited Host Range (LHR) origin of replication DNA and theshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portionof a second transcription unit including a selectable marker.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a nucleic acidmolecule including a DNA segment with a first transcription unit flankedon both sides by a first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence in opposite orientation to each other and located between afirst left border region and a first right border region, where thefirst and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arehomologous to a portion of a second transcription unit and arephysically linked to the first border regions and the first borderregions flank the DNA segment, and the nucleic acid molecule further hasa third transcription unit with a lethal or non-lethal negativeselectable marker gene transcription unit located outside of the DNAsegment.

The present invention also includes a method of selecting for unlinkedfirst and second transcription units or unlinked first and second DNAsegments in a plant cell by introducing a nucleic acid moleculeincluding a first DNA segment including a first transcription unitflanked on both sides by a first shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence and a second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence inopposite orientation to each other and located between a first leftborder region and a first right border region, where the first andsecond transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked to thefirst border regions and the first border regions flank the first DNAsegment; and a second DNA segment including a second transcription unitflanked on both sides by a third and fourth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other and locatedbetween a second left border region and a second right border region,where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesare physically linked to the second border regions and the second borderregions flank the second DNA segment, and the third shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked and operablylinked to a promoter; where the first, second, third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of thesecond transcription unit into a plant cell genome; growing thetransformed plant cell; and selecting a transgenic plant cell withexpression of a sequence of interest within the second transcriptionunit.

The present invention also includes a method of selecting for unlinkedfirst and second DNA segments in a plant cell by introducing into aplant cell genome a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segmentincluding a first transcription unit including a sequence of interestflanked on both sides by a first and a second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other and locatedbetween a first left border region and a first right border region,where the first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesand are physically linked to the first border regions and the firstborder regions flank the first DNA segment and a second DNA segmentincluding a second transcription unit including a selection marker geneflanked on both sides by a third and fourth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other and locatedbetween a second left border region and a second right border region,where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesare physically linked to the second border regions and the second borderregions flank the second DNA segment, and the third shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked and operablylinked to a promoter, and the first, second, third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of thesecond transcription unit; growing the transformed plant cell; andselecting a transgenic plant cell with expression of the selectionmarker gene within the second transcription unit.

Also included in the present invention is a method of selecting forlinked first and second transcription units or DNA segments in a plantcell by introducing a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNAsegment including a first transcription unit flanked on both sides by afirst and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences inopposite orientation to each other and located between a first leftborder region and a first right border region, where the first andsecond transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked to thefirst border regions and the first border regions flank the first DNAsegment; and a second DNA segment including a second transcription unitflanked on both sides by a third and fourth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other and locatedbetween a second left border region and a second right border region,where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesare physically linked to the second border regions and the second borderregions flank the second DNA segment, and the third shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked and operablylinked to a promoter; where the first, second, third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of thesecond transcription unit into a plant cell genome; growing thetransformed plant cell; assaying for expression of a gene within thesecond transcription unit; and selecting a transgenic cell with limitedor no expression of the gene within the second transcription unit.

The present invention also includes a method for producing a transgenicplant capable of expressing a sequence of interest without a selectablemarker gene by introducing into a plant cell genome a nucleic acidmolecule including a first DNA segment including a first transcriptionunit including a sequence of interest flanked on both sides by a firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and secondtranscribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked to the firstborder regions and the first border regions flank the first DNA segment;and a second DNA segment including a second transcription unit includinga selectable marker gene flanked on both sides by a third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation toeach other and located between a second left border region and a secondright border region, where the third and fourth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences are physically linked to the second borderregions and the second border regions flank the second DNA segment, andthe third shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is physicallylinked and operably linked to a promoter; where the first, second, thirdand fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologousto a portion of the second transcription unit including a selectablemarker gene; growing the transformed plant cell; assaying for expressionof the selectable marker gene in the transformed plant cell; selecting atransgenic plant cell with expression of the selectable marker gene;growing a plant from the selected plant cell; selfing said plantexpressing said selectable marker gene or crossing the plant expressingthe selectable marker with a second plant not expressing a selectablemarker; obtaining progeny plant seeds from said selfed or crossed plant;and selecting a progeny plant that does not express a selectable markerand is capable of expressing the gene of interest.

Also included in the present invention includes a method for reducingthe frequency of transformed plants with vector backbone sequences byintroducing into a plant cell genome a nucleic acid molecule including afirst DNA segment including a first transcription unit including asequence of interest flanked on both sides by a first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a first left border region and a first rightborder region, where the first and second transcribable nucleic acidsequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the first DNA segment; and a second DNAsegment including a second transcription unit including a selectablemarker gene flanked on both sides by a third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a second left border region and a second rightborder region, where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences are physically linked to the second border regions andthe second border regions flank the second DNA segment, and the thirdshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked andoperably linked to a promoter and the first, second, third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portionof the second transcription unit; and the nucleic acid moleculeincluding a third transcription unit including a non-lethal negativeselectable marker gene located between the first DNA segment and thesecond DNA segment or growing transformed plant cells; assaying forexpression of the selectable marker and healthy growth aftertransformation; and selecting a healthy, transgenic cell expressing theselectable marker.

Also included in the present invention includes a method for reducingthe frequency of transformed plants with vector backbone sequences byintroducing into a plant cell genome a nucleic acid molecule including aDNA segment including a transcription unit flanked on both sides by afirst and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a left border region and aright border region, where the first and second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences are physically linked to the border regions andthe border regions flank the DNA segment, and the first shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked and operablylinked to a promoter and the first and the second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of the transcriptionunit and the nucleic acid molecule including a Limited Host Range (LHR)origin of replication DNA; growing transformed plant cells; assaying forexpression of the selectable marker and healthy growth aftertransformation; and selecting a healthy, transgenic cell expressing theselectable marker.

The present invention includes introducing into a plant cell genome anucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segment including a firsttranscription unit and flanked on both sides by a first and secondshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation toeach other and located between a first left border region and a firstright border region, where the first and second transcribable nucleicacid sequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the first DNA segment and a second DNAsegment including a second transcription unit and flanked on both sidesby a third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence inopposite orientation to each other and located between a second leftborder region and a second right border region, where the third andfourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physicallylinked to the second border regions and the second border regions flankthe second DNA segment, and the third shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence is physically linked and operably linked to a promoter, and thefirst, second, third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequences are homologous to a portion of the second transcription unit;growing the transformed plant cell; and selecting a transgenic plantcell with expression of a sequence of interest within the secondtranscription unit.

The present invention also includes introducing into a plant cell genomea nucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segment including a firsttranscription unit including a sequence of interest and flanked on bothsides by a first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesin opposite orientation to each other and located between a first leftborder region and a first right border region, where the first andsecond transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked to thefirst border regions and the first border regions flank the first DNAsegment and a second DNA segment including a second transcription unitincluding a selection marker gene and flanked on both sides by a thirdand fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a second left borderregion and a second right border region, where the third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked tothe second border regions and the second border regions flank the secondDNA segment, and the third shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequenceis physically linked and operably linked to a promoter, and the first,second, third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesare homologous to a portion of the second transcription unit; growingthe transformed plant cell; and selecting a transgenic plant cell withexpression of a selection marker gene within the second transcriptionunit. In another aspect, the method of the present invention furtherincludes assaying for expression of a sequence of interest within thesecond transcription unit, such as a selection marker gene.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a method for producing atransgenic plant capable of expressing a sequence of interest without aselectable marker gene by introducing into a plant cell genome a nucleicacid molecule having a first DNA segment with a first transcription unitincluding a sequence of interest flanked on both sides by a first andsecond shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and secondtranscribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked to the firstborder regions and the first border regions flank the DNA segment and asecond DNA segment with a second transcription unit having a selectablemarker gene flanked on both sides by a third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a second left border region and a second rightborder region, where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences are physically linked to the second border regions andthe second border regions flank the second DNA segment, and the thirdshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked andoperably linked to a promoter where the first, second, third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portionof the second transcription unit having a selectable marker gene;growing the transformed plant cell; assaying for expression of theselectable marker gene in the transformed plant cell; selecting atransgenic plant cell with expression of the selectable marker gene;growing a plant from the selected plant cell; selfing said plantexpressing said selectable marker gene or crossing the plant expressingthe selectable marker with a second plant not expressing a selectablemarker; obtaining progeny plant seeds from said selfed or crossed plant;and selecting a progeny plant that does not express a selectable markerand is capable of expressing the gene of interest.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a method for reducing thefrequency of transformed plants with vector backbone sequences byintroducing into a plant cell genome a nucleic acid molecule including afirst DNA segment including a first transcription unit including asequence of interest flanked on both sides by a first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a first left border region and a first rightborder region, where the first and second transcribable nucleic acidsequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the first DNA segment; and a second DNAsegment including a second transcription unit including a selectablemarker gene flanked on both sides by a third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a second left border region and a second rightborder region, where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences are physically linked to the second border regions andthe second border regions flank the second DNA segment, and the thirdshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked andoperably linked to a promoter and the first, second, third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portionof the second transcription unit; and the nucleic acid moleculeincluding a third transcription unit including a non-lethal negativeselectable marker gene located between the first DNA segment and thesecond DNA segment; growing transformed plant cells; assaying forexpression of the selectable marker and healthy growth aftertransformation; and selecting a healthy, transgenic cell expressing theselectable marker.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a method for reducing thefrequency of transformed plants with vector backbone sequences byintroducing into a plant cell genome a nucleic acid molecule including aDNA segment including a transcription unit flanked on both sides by afirst and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a left border region and aright border region, where the first and second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences are physically linked to the border regions andthe border regions flank the DNA segment, and the first shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked and operablylinked to a promoter and the first and the second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of the transcriptionunit and the nucleic acid molecule including a Limited Host Range (LHR)origin of replication DNA; growing transformed plant cells; assaying forexpression of the selectable marker and healthy growth aftertransformation; and selecting a healthy, transgenic cell expressing theselectable marker.

In an aspect, the present invention includes plant genome including anucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segment including a firsttranscription unit flanked on both sides by a first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a first left border region and a first rightborder region, where the first and second transcribable nucleic acidsequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the first DNA segment; and a second DNAsegment including a second transcription unit flanked on both sides by athird and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a second left borderregion and a second right border region, where the third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked tothe second border regions and the second border regions flank the secondDNA segment, and the third shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencethat is homologous to a portion of the second transcription unit isphysically linked and operably linked to a promoter; where the first,second, third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesare homologous to a portion of the second transcription unit.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a plant with a plantgenome having a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segmentincluding a first transcription unit flanked on both sides by a firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and secondtranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of asecond transcription unit and are physically linked to the first borderregions and the first border regions flank the first DNA segment.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a plant with a plantgenome having a nucleic acid molecule including a DNA segment includinga transcription unit flanked on both sides by a first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a left border region and a right borderregion, where the first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequences are physically linked to the border regions and the borderregions flank the DNA segment, and the first shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence is physically linked and operably linked to apromoter and the first and the second shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequences are homologous to a portion of the transcription unit.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a plant with a plantgenome having a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segmentincluding a first transcription unit flanked on both sides by a firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and secondtranscribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked to the firstborder regions and the first border regions flank the first DNA segmentnot operably linked and not physically linked to a second nucleic acidmolecule including a second DNA segment including a transcription unitflanked on both sides by a third and fourth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other and locatedbetween a left border region and a right border region, where the thirdand fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physicallylinked to the border regions and the border regions flank the DNAsegment, and the third shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence isphysically linked and operably linked to a promoter and the first,second, third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesare homologous to a portion of the second transcription unit.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a plant with a plant genomehaving a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segment including afirst transcription unit including a sequence of interest flanked onboth sides by a first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequences in opposite orientation to each other and located between afirst left border region and a first right border region, where thefirst and second transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physicallylinked to the first border regions and the first border regions flankthe first DNA segment; and a second DNA segment including a secondtranscription unit including a selectable marker gene flanked on bothsides by a third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencein opposite orientation to each other and located between a second leftborder region and a second right border region, where the third andfourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physicallylinked to the second border regions and the second border regions flankthe second DNA segment, and the third shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence is physically linked and operably linked to a promoter; wherethe first, second, third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequences are homologous to a portion of the second transcription unit.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a plant of the presentinvention further including a fifth shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence that is homologous to a portion of the second transcriptionunit located between the first DNA segment and the second DNA segmentand adjacent to the second left border region.

In a preferred aspect, the present invention includes a bacterial cell.In a more preferred aspect, the bacterial cell is competent for thetransformation of at least a first plant cell. In a most preferredaspect, the bacterial cell is any one of Agrobacterium spp., Rhizobiumspp., Sinorhizobium spp., Mesorhizobium spp., Phyllobacterium spp.,Ochrobactrum spp., and Bradyrhizobium spp. In a preferred aspect, thepresent invention includes a plant cell. In a more preferred aspect, theplant cell is a cell from Acacia, alfalfa, aneth, apple, apricot,artichoke, arugula, asparagus, avocado, banana, barley, beans, beet,blackberry, blueberry, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, canola,cantaloupe, carrot, cassava, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage,cherry, cilantro, citrus, clementines, coffee, corn, cotton, cucumber,Douglas fir, eggplant, endive, escarole, eucalyptus, fennel, figs,forest trees, gourd, grape, grapefruit, honey dew, jicama, kiwifruit,lettuce, leeks, lemon, lime, Loblolly pine, mango, melon, mushroom, nut,oat, okra, onion, orange, an ornamental plant, papaya, parsley, pea,peach, peanut, pear, pepper, persimmon, pine, pineapple, plantain, plum,pomegranate, poplar, potato, pumpkin, quince, radiata pine, radicchio,radish, rapeseed, raspberry, rice, rye, sorghum, Southern pine, soybean,spinach, squash, strawberry, sugarbeet, sugarcane, sunflower, sweetcorn, sweet potato, sweetgum, tangerine, tea, tobacco, tomato, turf, avine, watermelon, wheat, yams, and zucchini. In preferred embodiments,the plant is a bean, broccoli, cabbage, canola, carrot, cauliflower,celery, Chinese cabbage, corn, cotton cucumber, eggplant, leek, lettuce,melon, pea, pepper, pumpkin, radish, spinach, soybean, squash, sweetcorn, sugarcane, tomato, watermelon, or wheat plant.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a transgenic celltransformed with a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segmentincluding a first transcription unit flanked on both sides by a firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and secondtranscribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked to the firstborder regions and the first border regions flank the first DNA segment;and a second DNA segment including a second transcription unit flankedon both sides by a third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence in opposite orientation to each other and located between asecond left border region and a second right border region, where thethird and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arephysically linked to the second border regions and the second borderregions flank the second DNA segment, and the third shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence that is homologous to a portion ofthe second transcription unit is physically linked and operably linkedto a promoter; where the first, second, third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of thesecond transcription unit.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a transgenic celltransformed with a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segmentincluding a first transcription unit flanked on both sides by a firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and secondtranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of asecond transcription unit and are physically linked to the first borderregions and the first border regions flank the first DNA segment.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a cell transformed with anucleic acid molecule including a DNA segment including a transcriptionunit flanked on both sides by a first and second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other and locatedbetween a left border region and a right border region, where the firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physicallylinked to the border regions and the border regions flank the DNAsegment, and the first shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence isphysically linked and operably linked to a promoter and the first andthe second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologousto a portion of the transcription unit.

VII. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

a. Nucleic Acid Molecules

The present invention includes a nucleic acid molecule including a firstDNA segment including a first transcription unit flanked on both sidesby a first and a second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, inopposite orientation to each other, located between a first left borderregion and a first right border region, where a first transcribablenucleic acid sequence and a second transcribable nucleic acid sequenceare physically linked to a first left or right border regionrespectively and the first border regions flank a first DNA segment; anda second DNA segment including a second transcription unit flanked onboth sides by a third and a fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence, in opposite orientation to each other, located between asecond left border region and a second right border region, where athird shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence and a fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence are physically linked to a secondleft or right border region and the second border regions flank a secondDNA segment, and the third shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequenceis physically linked and operably linked to a promoter; where the first,second, third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence arehomologous to a portion of a second transcription unit. Several aspectsare presented herein, such as FIGS. 2, 4, 5, and 7-12.

In an aspect of the present invention, a DNA segment is any sequence ona DNA molecule capable of being fully inserted into a chromosome. In apreferred aspect, a DNA segment is the nucleic acid sequence between aleft and right border region of a T-DNA (See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,265,638,5,731,179; U.S. Patent Application Publications US2005/0183170;US2003/110532, herein incorporated by reference) when plant tissue istransformed by Agrobacterium or other Rhizobia-mediated methods. In oneaspect, the DNA segments that can be transferred into a cell may bepresent on one construct in a bacterial strain being utilized fortransformation. In another aspect, the DNA segments can be present onseparate constructs in a bacterial strain. In yet another aspect, theDNA segments may be found in separate bacterial cells or strains usedtogether or subsequently for transformation. In yet another aspect, theDNA segments may be found in two separate bacterial cells or strainsused together or subsequently for transformation.

In an aspect of the present invention, a transcription unit containsone, or at least one or more, two or more, or at least all of thefollowing: (a) a promoter that functions in a cell to cause theproduction of a nucleic acid sequence, (b) a sequence of interest, whichmay be a gene of interest and (c) a 3′ non-translated nucleic acidsequence. In a preferred aspect, the 3′ non-translated nucleic acidsequence can function in a cell to cause the addition of polyadenylatednucleotides to the 3′ end of a structural nucleic acid sequence. Thepresent invention includes a transcription unit that may comprise atermination sequence. In an aspect, an example transcription unit isshown in FIG. 2 as CP4 flanked by P-Ract1 and T-nos. In another aspect,the present invention includes a transcription unit that may notcomprise a termination sequence. In an aspect, an example transcriptionunit is shown in FIG. 5 as CP4 with a P-Ract1 promoter. In an aspect,one or more transcription units do not comprise a termination sequence.In one aspect, the first transcription unit does not share any sequenceidentity of 21 or more contiguous nucleotides to a shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence where the shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence is homologous to a portion of a second, different transcriptionunit.

One aspect of the present invention includes at least two transcriptionunits, a first and second transcription unit. In an aspect, the firstand second transcription units include one or more sequences ofinterest. A sequence of interest may include a protein coding sequence,a gene element, or a gene of interest (GOI). The gene of interest may ormay not be a selectable marker. In a preferred aspect, a sequence ofinterest is a nucleic acid sequence that is capable of contributing toproducing a desirable trait. In an aspect, the sequence of interest canbe a nucleic acid sequence that causes the targeted expression orover-expression of an exogenous nucleic acid sequence. In anotheraspect, the sequence of interest can cause the inhibition of expressionof an endogenous gene via gene silencing technologies such asantisense-, co-suppression-mediated mechanisms, RNAi technologiesincluding miRNA (e.g., U.S. Patent Application Publication2006/0200878).

In a preferred aspect, the present invention also provides for specificnucleic acid molecules including a transcription unit flanked by shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences. In a preferred aspect, atranscription unit is flanked on both sides by a shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence such that there is a shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence upstream and downstream of the transcription unit. In apreferred aspect, one or more shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequences are operably linked, physically linked, or operably andphysically linked to a transcription unit. In a more preferred aspect,one shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is operably linked,physically linked, or operably and physically linked to a transcriptionunit and another is not.

In a preferred aspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence isa nucleic acid sequence with fewer nucleotides than a firsttranscription unit or than a second transcription unit. In a preferredaspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is homologous to aportion of a second transcription unit, different than the firsttranscription unit, and is capable of specifically hybridizing to asecond transcription unit or a portion thereof. In this aspect, thefirst transcription unit does not share any sequence identity of 21 ormore contiguous nucleotides to a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence. In another aspect, the present invention includes a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence that is homologous to a portion of afirst transcription unit that has fewer nucleotides than a firsttranscription unit in length and is capable of specifically hybridizingto first transcription unit or a portion thereof. In a preferred aspect,the first transcription unit includes a selectable marker gene. Inanother preferred aspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequenceis a nucleic acid sequence with fewer nucleotides than a transcriptionunit with which the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence hassufficiently complementary sequence to be able to form a double strandedRNA structure that can serve as a substrate for enzymes to generatesmall siRNAs or miRNAs. In another preferred aspect, a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence has sufficient sequence identity toa portion of a transcription unit to silence a transcription unit.

A transcription unit may be “essentially silenced” such that the levelof a protein or mRNA transcript from the transcription unit havinghomology to the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence isessentially silenced within 90%, preferably 80%, more preferably within65%, and even more preferably within 50% of the level at which it isfound in a cell or organism that lacks a shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence capable of selectively reducing the transcription unit.

A transcription unit may be “substantially silenced” such that the levelof a protein or mRNA transcript from the transcription unit havinghomology to the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence issubstantially silenced within 49%, more preferably within 35%, and evenmore preferably within 24% of the level at which it is found in a cellor organism that lacks a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencecapable of selectively reducing the transcription unit.

A transcription unit may be “barely silenced” such that the level of aprotein or mRNA transcript from the transcription unit having homologyto the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is either not alteredby a particular event or altered only to an extent that does not affectthe physiological function of that protein or mRNA transcript. In apreferred aspect, the level of the agent that is essentially unaffectedis within 20%, more preferably within 10%, and even more preferablywithin 5% of the level at which it is found in a cell or organism thatlacks a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence capable ofselectively reducing the transcription unit.

As used herein, “a selective reduction” of an agent such as a protein ormRNA is relative to a cell or organism lacking a nucleic acid moleculecapable of selectively reducing the agent. In a preferred aspect, thelevel of the agent is selectively reduced by at least 50%, preferably atleast more than 75%, and even more preferably by at least more than 90%or 95%.

In a preferred aspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequenceshares greater than 50%, greater than 55%, greater than 60%, greaterthan 65%, greater than 70%, greater than 80%, greater than 85%, greaterthan 90%, greater than 95%, greater than 97%, greater than 98%, greaterthan 99% sequence identity or 100% sequence identity with a secondtranscription unit or fragment thereof. In a preferred aspect, a secondtranscription unit is not located on an endogenous chromosome, but islocated on a heterologous nucleic acid molecule. In a preferred aspect,a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence has at least 21 contiguousnucleotides identical to a second transcription unit. In a preferredaspect, one or more shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences areidentical to any other shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences. Ina preferred aspect, all shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences areidentical.

In a preferred aspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence ishomologous to a portion of a second transcription unit and is at least21 nucleotides in length. In this aspect, the first transcription unitdoes not share any sequence identity of 21 or more contiguousnucleotides to a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence. In anotheraspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is at least 21,30, 40, 50, 75, 100, or 200 nucleotides in length. In this aspect, theshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is not more than 100, 200,300, 400, 500, or 600 nucleotides in length. In another aspect, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is between 21 and 200contiguous residues, 75 and 100 contiguous residues, 50 and 150contiguous residues, 50 and 300 contiguous residues, or 21 and 500contiguous residues of a second transcription unit. In a preferredaspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence that is homologousto a portion of a second transcription unit has at least 21 contiguousnucleotides identical to a portion of a transcription unit, is identicalto the other shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences and isidentical to a transcription unit, where the transcription unit cancontain a selectable marker gene.

In a preferred aspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence iscapable of specifically hybridizing to a first or second transcriptionunit. For example, shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences can becapable of hybridizing to a first or second transcription unit, forexample, under high or low stringency. In an aspect, shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences can be substantially homologoussequences to a first or second transcription unit, or a portion thereof.The shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences can be completely orminimally complementary to a first or second transcription unit, or aportion thereof. In an aspect, the shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequences can be substantially homologous to a first or secondtranscription unit, or a portion thereof.

In a preferred aspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence isnot identical to a sequence of interest within a second transcriptionunit. In this preferred aspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence is not identical to a selectable marker gene. In anotheraspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is a non-naturalor synthetic sequence. In a preferred aspect, the non-natural orsynthetic sequences have any length that a natural or non-syntheticshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence can have, at least 19basepairs (bp), at least 75 bp, or at least 100 bp. In another aspect, anon-natural or synthetic shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence hasa high Reynolds scores, preferably higher than 4, 5, 6, or 7, mostpreferably higher than 5, lack ATGs (start codons) in both strands, lackputative polyA signals, and lack potential allergenic peptides. In anaspect, a non-natural or synthetic shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence can have two or more of these features. In an aspect theReynolds score is determined using a computer program, such as thatprovided by the siRNA laboratory at Whitehead on the world wide web atjura-wi-mit-edu/bioc/siRNAext. Several such non-natural or syntheticsequences thus identified based on these properties and are disclosed inSEQ ID NOs: 1-36. Additional non-natural or synthetic sequences aredisclosed in SEQ IDs: 37-41 and were derived by selecting the 10 best 75bp sequences from SEQ ID NOs: 1-36 and by combining the first 50 bp fromone and the first 50 bp from another into a 100 bp sequence. Forexample, MTI-5 (87481-50093; SEQ ID NO 41) comprised of the first 50 bpfrom the synthetic sequence 87481 (SEQ ID NO: 7) followed by the first50 bp of synthetic sequence 50093 (SEQ ID NO: 8). See Reynolds et al.(2004) Nat. Biotechnology 22:326-330, herein incorporated by referencein its entirety. Combined sequences can be checked again to ensure thatthey still exhibit the above mentioned properties.

A synthetic shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence can be insertedinto a border region, a UTR of a sequence of interest, a UTR of only onesequence of interest, a UTR of two sequences of interest, a UTR of twoor more sequences of interest, a UTR of all or any sequences ofinterest, or more preferably into a UTR of a selectable markertranscription unit. In this aspect, a UTR can be a 5′ UTR, a 3′ UTR, orboth UTRs. A synthetic shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence canbe inserted into a border region and a UTR of a sequence of interest, Ina preferred aspect, the synthetic or non-natural sequence or a fragmentthereof can be used as a part or entire transcribable nucleic acidsequence so that inverted repeats will form if two or more T-DNAs or DNAsegments become linked. The effect of the synthetic sequence on its ownon the target gene can be tested by first inserting it in the selectablemarker transcription unit and then using a transient transformationassay system to assess its impact on the expression of the selectablemarker. In an aspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence ishomologous to a portion of a transcription unit located in anuntranslated region (UTR) of a first or second transcription unit. In anaspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is identical to anuntranslated region (UTR) of a second transcription unit, where the UTRcan be 5′ or 3′ to a sequence of interest, more preferably 3′ of aselectable marker gene.

In an aspect of the present invention, two shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences are in opposite orientation to each other such that thesequences read in the 5′ to 3′ direction as if they were separated by amirror between the left and right border regions. Phrased differently,read in the 5′ to 3′ direction, the first nucleotide of the firstshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is the last nucleotide ofthe second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence and the secondnucleotide of the first shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence isthe second to last nucleotide of the second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence, etc. In an aspect of the present invention, ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence that is homologous to aportion of a second transcription unit is located between border regionssuch that the 5′ end of the sequence homologous to a portion of a secondtranscription unit is physically closer to the most proximal borderregion than the 3′ end of the sequence homologous to a portion of asecond transcription unit. In another aspect, a shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence that is homologous to a portion of a secondtranscription unit is located between border regions such that the 3′end of the sequence homologous to a portion of a second transcriptionunit is physically closer to the most proximal border region than the 5′end of the sequence homologous to a portion of a second transcriptionunit. In all of the aspects, a border region can be the entire borderregion or a fragment thereof such that the shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence is part of the border region. When two shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are in opposite orientation to eachother, the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences can formdouble-stranded RNA (dsRNA).

In an aspect of the present invention, a nucleic acid molecule has afifth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence located between afirst DNA segment and a second DNA segment and physically linked to asecond left or right border region, where the fifth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is homologous to a portion of asecond transcription unit. Preferably, a fifth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence is in the opposite orientation of a first, second,third, or fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence, which islocated within a DNA segment. In an aspect, an example construct isshown in FIG. 5. More preferably, a fifth shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence is in the opposite orientation of a fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence, which is located within a secondDNA segment. A fifth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence isproximal or adjacent to a left or right border region. In a preferredaspect, a fifth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence ishomologous to a portion of a second transcription unit and is adjacentto a second left border region. In a preferred aspect, a fifth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is homologous to a portion of asecond transcription unit and comprises part of a second left borderregion. In an aspect, an example construct is shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and9-12.

When two shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are in oppositeorientation to each other on opposite sides of a border region, theshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence within the DNA segment isable to form a double-stranded hairpin loop with the shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence on the other side of the borderregion, i.e., not located within a DNA segment. Although thecompositions are not limited by mechanism of action, it is believed thatadding a fifth transcribable nucleic acid sequence would result in adouble-stranded RNA hairpin loop forming with another transcribablenucleic acid sequence and a border region if there is readthrough intothe vector region of the construct, i.e., beyond the border region.Although the compositions are not limited by mechanism of action, it isbelieved that this will prevent readthrough linkage by silencing thetranscription unit having homology to the shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence. For example, if the shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence is homologous to a transcription unit having a selection markergene, the selection marker will be silenced.

In one aspect, the present invention includes a nucleic acid moleculeincluding a DNA segment including a transcription unit flanked on bothsides by a first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencein opposite orientation to each other and located between a left borderregion and a right border region, where the first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked to the borderregions and the border regions flank the DNA segment, and the firstshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked andoperably linked to a promoter and the first and the second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of saidtranscription unit, and there is a third shorter transcriptional nucleicacid sequence located outside of the first DNA segment and physicallylinked to a left or right border region. In another aspect, a thirdshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is adjacent to the left orright border region and in the opposite orientation of a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence on the other side of the left orright border region. In an aspect, an example third shortertranscribable nucleic acid is shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 9-12.

In an aspect of the present invention, a nucleic acid molecule can havea left border region and a right border region. In one aspect, thenucleic acid molecule may be flanked by right, left or right and leftborder regions or may have no border region. A left or right borderregion can be of any length such that the DNA segment is capable oftransformation of plant tissue performed by Agrobacterium or otherRhizobia-mediated methods (U. S. Patents 6,265,638, 5,731,179; U.S.Patent Application Publications US2005/0183170; 2003110532;US20070271627, herein incorporated by reference in their entirety). In apreferred aspect, a border region is about 455 nucleotides and containsabout 25 nucleotide imperfect direct repeats. In a more preferredaspect, the about 455 nucleotides of the border region include a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence as described above. In an aspect, anexample border region is shown in FIGS. 7-12. In a plasmid for mammaliancell expression, a border region can be any sequence that provides aloop, cleavable or not, for formation of dsRNA.

In an aspect, nucleic acid molecules of the present invention can beused for transformation in the methods of the present inventiongenerally and contain the plasmid backbone DNA segments that providereplication function and antibiotic selection in bacterial cells, forexample, an Escherichia coli origin of replication such as ori322, abroad host range origin of replication such as oriV or oriRi, and aselectable marker gene. In an aspect, nucleic acid molecules of thepresent invention further contain a third transcription unit having alethal or non-lethal negative selectable marker gene located between afirst DNA segment and a second DNA segment. A non-lethal negativeselectable marker gene can be one of any listed in U.S. Publication No.2004-0237142, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, such asGGPP synthases, GA 2-oxidase gene sequences, isopentenyltransferase(IPT), CKI1 (cytokinin-independent 1), ESR-2, ESR1-A, auxin-producinggenes, such as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), iaaM, iaah, roLABC, genesthat result in overexpression of ethylene biosynthetic enzymes, VP1genes, AB13 genes, LEC1 genes, and Bas 1 genes for example. A non-lethalnegative selectable marker gene can be included on any plasmid,including the same plasmid as the selectable marker gene. In an aspect,an example non-lethal negative selectable marker gene is shown in FIG.3. In an aspect, a non-lethal negative selectable marker gene can beincluded on one vector when doing the 2T-DNA transformation. In anaspect, an example construct is shown in FIG. 6. In a preferred aspect,a non-lethal negative selectable marker gene is a gene resulting in theoverexpression of a class of enzymes that use substrates of thegibberellic acid (GA) biosynthetic pathway, but that do not result inthe production of bioactive GA. In a more preferred aspect, thenon-lethal negative selectable marker gene is a phytoene synthase gene,such as from Erwinia herbicola (crtB). In this aspect, a crtB gene islocated between a first DNA segment and a second DNA segment.

A nucleic acid sequence may be physically linked to another nucleic acidsequence. As used herein, physically linked means that the physicallylinked nucleic acid sequences are located on the same nucleic acidmolecule, for example a first transcription unit can be physicallylinked to a second transcription unit as part of a single construct oron the same chromosome. A physical linkage can be adjacent or proximal.A nucleic acid sequence may be adjacent to another nucleic acidsequence. By way of example, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence that is adjacent to a border region has no gap between theshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence and border region. In such acase, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is immediatelyfollowed or preceded by a border region and there are no nucleotideswhich do not belong to either the shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence or border region between the two elements. If a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is adjacent to a border region, atleast one of the terminal nucleic acid residues of the shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence can be chemically bonded to anucleic acid sequence from a border region.

A nucleic acid sequence may be proximal to another nucleic acidsequence. In an example of a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequenceproximally linked to a border region, nucleotides which are not a partof the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence or border regionexist between the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence and borderregion. The gap (nucleotide(s) that are not derived from the shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence or border region) can include forexample, without limitation, a stop codon, a restriction site, or anintron, cleavable or not. A gap can be composed of at leastapproximately three stop codons. A gap can have less than five stopcodons in different codon reading frames.

A shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence can be proximally linkedto a border region if a terminal nucleic acid residue of the shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is not chemically bonded to anucleic acid residue from the border region. In a preferred embodiment,if the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is proximally linkedto a border region, the last nucleic acid residue of the shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence can be about 3 residues away from aborder region or greater than 5 but less than 20 residues away from aborder region. In a preferred aspect, a shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence can be proximally linked to a border region if the borderregion can act as a hairpin loop for two complementary RNAs encoded byshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences. In an aspect, proximallinkage can not be a distance so great as to interfere with a nucleicacid sequence exhibiting its desired function if operably linked.

A nucleic acid sequence may be flanked by another nucleic acid sequence.In a preferred aspect, the present invention also provides for specificnucleic acid molecules including a DNA segment flanked by left and rightborder regions. In preferred aspect, the left and right border regionsare operably linked, physically linked, or operably and physicallylinked to a DNA segment. In a preferred aspect, a DNA segment is flankedon both sides by left and right border regions such that there is aborder region upstream and downstream of the DNA segment.

As used herein, operably linked means that the operably linked nucleicacid sequences exhibit their desired function. A nucleic acid sequencemay be operably linked to another nucleic acid sequence. For example, inan aspect of the present invention, a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence that is homologous to a portion of the second transcriptionunit can be operably linked to a promoter on a nucleic acid molecule.When expressed in a cell, an operably linked promoter will transcribe ashorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence into RNA. In another aspectof the present invention, a promoter is operably linked to a first,second, third, fourth, or fifth shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence that is homologous to a portion of a second or firsttranscription unit. In another aspect of the present invention, apromoter is operably linked to one or more shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences. In another aspect of the present invention, a promoteris operably linked to all of the shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence that is homologous to a portion of the second or firsttranscription unit.

In another non-limiting example, in an aspect of the present invention,a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence can be operably linked toa border region on a nucleic acid molecule. When expressed in a cell, anoperably linked shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence will betranscribed as part of a border region or such that the border region iscapable of acting as a hairpin loop in a double-stranded RNA molecule.Moreover, an operably linked shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencecan be part of a border region that is capable of acting as a hairpinloop in a double-stranded RNA molecule. In an aspect of the presentinvention, a first and/or a second shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequences can be operably linked to a first left or right border region.In an aspect, a third and/or a fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence can be operably linked to a second border left or rightsequence. In another aspect, any or all shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences can be operably linked to a border region.

In an aspect, a sequence of interest that may be transferred into aplant cell may be present on one transformation vector in a bacterialstrain being utilized for transformation. In another aspect, more thanone sequence of interest may be present on separate transformationvectors in the same bacterial strain. In yet another aspect, sequencesof interest may be found in separate bacterial cells or strains usedtogether for transformation. The present invention includes a nucleicacid molecule including a DNA segment including a transcription unitflanked on both sides by a first and second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other and locatedbetween a first left border region and a first right border region,where the first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesare homologous to a portion of a same or different transcription unitand are physically linked to the first border regions and the firstborder regions flank the DNA segment. In a preferred aspect, the shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of adifferent transcription unit which is a selectable marker gene.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a nucleic acidmolecule including a DNA segment having a first transcription unit thatdoes not contain a selection marker gene flanked on both sides by afirst and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of adifferent transcription unit that contains a selectable marker gene andare physically linked to the first border regions and the first borderregions flank the DNA segment. In a preferred aspect, the firsttranscription unit does not share any sequence identity of 21 or morecontiguous nucleotides to a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence.In another aspect, the present invention includes a nucleic acidmolecule including a DNA segment with a first transcription unit flankedon both sides by a first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence in opposite orientation to each other and located between afirst left border region and a first right border region, where thefirst and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arehomologous to a portion of a first or second transcription unit and arephysically linked to the first border regions and the first borderregions flank the DNA segment, where the first transcription unit doesnot comprise a termination sequence. In an aspect, an example constructis shown in FIG. 6, pMON108851. In an aspect, the second transcriptionunit does not comprise a termination sequence. In a preferred aspect,the nucleic acid molecule further has a Limited Host Range (LHR) originof replication DNA and the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesare homologous to a portion of a second transcription unit including aselectable marker, e.g. FIG. 6. Examples of such LHR origin ofreplication DNA include pVS1 (Itoh et al., 1984, Plasmid, 11:206-20;Hajdukiewicz et al., 1994, Plant Mol Biol., 1994, 25: 989-94), pSa(Genebank PPU30471; Okumura and Kado, 1992, Gen. Genet. 235: 55-63),oriRi, and repABC replicons (US 20070074314). In a more preferredaspect, the LHR origin of replication DNA is pVS1.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a nucleic acidmolecule including a DNA segment with a first transcription unit flankedon both sides by a first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence in opposite orientation to each other and located between afirst left border region and a first right border region, where thefirst and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arehomologous to a portion of a second transcription unit and arephysically linked to the first border regions and the first borderregions flank the DNA segment, and the nucleic acid molecule further hasa third transcription unit with a non-lethal negative selectable markergene transcription unit located outside of the DNA segment.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a nucleic acidmolecule of the present invention integrated in a genome. In a preferredaspect, a DNA segment of the nucleic acid molecule is a single copy inthe genome. In a more preferred aspect, the genome is a plant genome.Various methods have been developed for transferring nucleic acidmolecules into plant tissue including high velocity microprojection,microinjection, electroporation, direct DNA uptake and,bacterially-mediated transformation. Bacteria known to mediate plantcell transformation include a number of species of the Rhizobiaceae,including, but not limited to, Agrobacterium sp., Sinorhizobium sp.,Mesorhizobium sp., and Bradyrhizobium sp. (e.g. Broothaerts et al.,2005; US20050289667; US20050289672; US20070271627). Targets for suchtransformation have often been undifferentiated tissues, althoughdifferentiated tissue also has been used for transient and stable planttransformation, and may be in this instance. Non-limiting examples ofthese tissues include embryos including immature embryos, callus,cotyledons, hypocotyls, meristems, leaves, stems, or roots.

Reducing the occurrence of linkage between two transcription units inthe genome of a cell would increase the efficiency of producing adesirable transgenic cell. Such a transgenic cell would be useful instacking genes into a commercial product. Genes or nucleic acidsequences are genetically linked if they are so closely associated on achromosome that they are inherited together in greater than 60%, 70%,75%, 80%, 85%, or 90% of cases. Linked genes are inherited together at agreater than random rate. For example, if a first and secondtranscription unit are on separate T-DNAs and inserted into a plantgenome as direct or inverted repeats, they are linked. Genes or nucleicacid sequences are physically linked if they are so closely associatedon a chromosome that they are inherited together all of the time andhave no or little non-vector, e.g., endogenous plant DNA, between them.Little non-vector DNA is defined as comprising 1 to 500 bp or 1 to about1000 bp of non-vector DNA.

In a preferred embodiment, a second transcription unit can be includedin the transformation process to screen, select or otherwise identifycells including a sequence of interest in a first transcription unit. Inan aspect of the present invention, the expression or presence of thesecond transcription unit is undesirable during the process of making afinal transgenic product.

A second transcription unit can become undesirable anywhere in theprocess of making a final transgenic product, for example, in genestacking Gene stacking is combining desired traits into one line. Oneselectable marker can be used repeatedly in gene stacking if theselectable marker is not linked to a first desired trait. For example, atransgenic cell having a first desired trait and a CP4 marker gene canbe transformed with a second desired trait using CP4 as the marker geneif the CP4 is removed from the original transgenic cell. In order forthe CP4 to be removed from the original transgenic cell, the firstdesired trait must not be linked to the CP4 marker gene.

In the present invention, a first transcription unit can be physicallylinked or operably linked to a second transcription unit. If a firsttranscription unit is physically and operably linked to a secondtranscription unit, the transcription units can co-segregate.

b. Methods

The present invention includes methods of selecting for unlinked firstand second transcription units or DNA segments in a plant cell. Thepresent invention includes introducing into a plant cell genome anucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segment including a firsttranscription unit and flanked on both sides by a first and secondshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation toeach other and located between a first left border region and a firstright border region, where the first and second transcribable nucleicacid sequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the first DNA segment and a second DNAsegment including a second transcription unit and flanked on both sidesby a third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence inopposite orientation to each other and located between a second leftborder region and a second right border region, where the third andfourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physicallylinked to the second border regions and the second border regions flankthe second DNA segment, and the third shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence is physically linked and operably linked to a promoter, and thefirst, second, third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequences are homologous to a portion of the second transcription unit;growing the transformed plant cell; and selecting a transgenic plantcell with expression of a sequence of interest within the secondtranscription unit. In a preferred aspect, selecting involves bothassaying and identifying at the tissue culture stage. In anotherpreferred aspect, the first transcription unit does not share anysequence identity of 21 or more contiguous nucleotides to a shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence.

In another preferred aspect, the present invention also includesintroducing into a plant cell genome a nucleic acid molecule including afirst DNA segment including a first transcription unit including asequence of interest and flanked on both sides by a first and secondshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation toeach other and located between a first left border region and a firstright border region, where the first and second transcribable nucleicacid sequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the first DNA segment and a second DNAsegment including a second transcription unit including a selectionmarker gene and flanked on both sides by a third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a second left border region and a second rightborder region, where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences are physically linked to the second border regions andthe second border regions flank the second DNA segment, and the thirdshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked andoperably linked to a promoter, and the first, second, third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portionof the second transcription unit; growing the transformed plant cell;and selecting a transgenic plant cell with expression of a selectionmarker gene within the second transcription unit. In a more preferredaspect, the method of the present invention further includes assayingfor expression of a sequence of interest within the second transcriptionunit, such as a selection marker gene.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a method of selecting forunlinked first and second DNA segments in a plant cell by introducing anucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segment with a firsttranscription unit located between a first left border region and afirst right border region; a second DNA segment with a secondtranscription unit located between a second left border region and asecond right border region; and a third transcription unit including anon-lethal negative selectable marker gene located between a first DNAsegment and a second DNA segment; growing a transformed plant cell; andselecting a cell including a first DNA segment and a second DNA segmentand lacking the third DNA segment. In one aspect, the firsttranscription unit includes a sequence of interest. In an aspect, thesecond transcription unit includes a selectable marker gene. In anotheraspect, the non-lethal negative selectable marker gene is a phytoenesynthase gene.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a method for producing atransgenic plant capable of expressing a sequence of interest without aselectable marker gene by introducing into a plant cell genome a nucleicacid molecule including a first DNA segment with a first transcriptionunit including a sequence of interest flanked on both sides by a firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked to the firstborder regions and the first border regions flank the first DNA segmentand the nucleic acid molecule further including a second DNA segmentwith a second transcription unit having a selectable marker gene flankedon both sides by a third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence in opposite orientation to each other and located between asecond left border region and a second right border region, where thethird and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arephysically linked to the second border regions and the second borderregions flank the second DNA segment, and the third shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked and operablylinked to a promoter where the first, second, third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of thesecond transcription unit having a selectable marker gene; growing thetransformed plant cell; assaying for expression of the selectable markergene in the transformed plant cell; selecting a transgenic plant cellwith expression of the selectable marker gene; growing a plant from theselected plant cell; selfing the plant expressing said selectable markergene or crossing the plant expressing the selectable marker with asecond plant not expressing a selectable marker; obtaining progeny plantseeds from the selfed or crossed plant; and selecting a progeny plantthat does not express a selectable marker and is capable of expressingthe gene of interest. In this aspect, the nucleic acid molecule canfurther include a Limited Host Range (LHR) origin of replication DNAlocated outside of either DNA segment. In another aspect, the nucleicacid molecule can also include a fifth shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence homologous to a portion of the second transcription unitlocated outside of either DNA segment and can include a thirdtranscription unit with a non-lethal negative selectable marker genelocated outside of either DNA segment.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a method for producinga transgenic plant capable of expressing a sequence of interest withouta selectable marker gene by introducing into a plant cell genome a firstnucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segment with a firsttranscription unit including a sequence of interest flanked on bothsides by a first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesin opposite orientation to each other and located between a first leftborder region and a first right border region, where the first andsecond shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physicallylinked to the first border regions and the first border regions flankthe first DNA segment and a second nucleic acid molecule including asecond DNA segment with a second transcription unit having a selectablemarker gene flanked on both sides by a third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a second left border region and a second rightborder region, where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences are physically linked to the second border regions andthe second border regions flank the second DNA segment, and the thirdshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked andoperably linked to a promoter where the first, second, third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portionof the second transcription unit having a selectable marker gene;growing the transformed plant cell; assaying for expression of theselectable marker gene in the transformed plant cell; selecting atransgenic plant cell with expression of the selectable marker gene;growing a plant from the selected plant cell; selfing the plantexpressing said selectable marker gene or crossing the plant expressingthe selectable marker with a second plant not expressing a selectablemarker; obtaining progeny plant seeds from the selfed or crossed plant;and selecting a progeny plant that does not express a selectable markerand is capable of expressing the gene of interest. In this aspect, thesecond nucleic acid molecule can further include a Limited Host Range(LHR) origin of replication DNA located outside of the second DNAsegment. In another aspect, the second nucleic acid molecule also caninclude a fifth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence homologousto a portion of the second transcription unit located outside of thesecond DNA segment and adjacent to the second left border region. Eitherthe first or second nucleic acid molecule can include a thirdtranscription unit with a non-lethal negative selectable marker genelocated outside of a DNA segment.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a method for reducing thefrequency of transformed plants with vector backbone sequences byintroducing into a plant cell genome a nucleic acid molecule including afirst DNA segment including a first transcription unit including asequence of interest flanked on both sides by a first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a first left border region and a first rightborder region, where the first and second transcribable nucleic acidsequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the first DNA segment; and a second DNAsegment including a second transcription unit including a selectablemarker gene flanked on both sides by a third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a second left border region and a second rightborder region, where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences are physically linked to the second border regions andthe second border regions flank the second DNA segment, and the thirdshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked andoperably linked to a promoter and the first, second, third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portionof the second transcription unit; and the nucleic acid moleculeincluding a third transcription unit including a non-lethal negativeselectable marker gene located between the first DNA segment and thesecond DNA segment; growing transformed plant cells; assaying forexpression of the selectable marker and healthy growth aftertransformation; and selecting a healthy, transgenic cell expressing theselectable marker. In one aspect, the present invention includes amethod for reducing the frequency of transformed plants with vectorbackbone sequences, introducing a nucleic acid molecule including athird shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence that is homologous toa portion of a transcription unit and not located within a DNA segmentand adjacent to a left border region.

The present invention provides significantly reducing the frequency ofcells transformed with vector backbone DNA. Vector backbone DNA is thenucleic acid sequences that are not part of a DNA segment including asequence of interest. In an aspect, the frequency of cells transformedwithout vector backbone DNA is more than or equal to about 60%, about70%, or about 80% of transformed recovered cells. In some embodiments,the frequency of cells transformed without vector backbone DNA ascompared to those with vector backbone is more than or equal to about85%, or more than equal to about 90%, or more than or equal to about 98%or 99%.

Methods of the invention yield an increase in one- or two-copytransformation events. In an aspect, methods of the invention yield astatistically significant increase in one- or two-copy transformationevents as compared to similar methods using a conventional vector havingtwo sets of LB/RB flanking two transcription units, such as pMON97396disclosed in FIG. 1. In an aspect, the frequency of one- or two-copytransformation events is about 30%, about 40%, about 50%, about 60%,about 70%, about 80% of transformations attempted, as measured using DNAdetection technologies, such as Southern blotting or PCR. In an aspect,the frequency of one- or two-copy transformation events is about 60% to55%, 70% to 65%, 70% to 50%, 70% to 60% or 60% to 50% of transformationsattempted, as measured using Southern blotting. In an aspect, thefrequency of one-copy transformation events out of all attempts is about1.5 times more or 1.5-3 times more compared to cells without a nucleicacid of the present invention, such as pMON87488, as measured withTaqMan® assay (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.). It is easier toidentify an event with an unlinked gene of interest (GOI) at R₀generation and a marker-free homozygous event at R₁ generation if thereare a high percentage of one- or two-copy transformation events. One- ortwo-copy events have lower complexity of T-DNA insertions and aretherefore of commercial value.

In an aspect, use of a nucleic acid of the present invention in thetransformation of a cell increases the number of cells having the firsttranscriptional unit unlinked from the second transcriptional unit. In apreferred aspect, use of a nucleic acid of the present invention in thetransformation of a cell increases the number of cells having unlinkedfirst and second transcriptional units when there is an increase in one-or two-copy transformation events. In a preferred aspect, the unlinkedtranscription units contain a sequence of interest unlinked from aselectable marker gene. In an aspect, the number of recoveredtransformation events yielding two unlinked transcription units is about0.5% more, about 1% more, about 1.5% more, about 2% more, about 2.5%more, about 3% more, about 5% more, about 10% more, about 20% more,about 30% more, about 40% more, or about 50% more when using a nucleicacid molecule or method of the present invention than when using aconventional vector having two sets of LB/RB flanking two transcriptionunits, such as pMON97396. The frequency of unlinked or linked first andsecond segments can be determined by methods such as those described inPCT publication WO2009055597, which is herein incorporated by referencein its entirety. The frequency of unlinked or linked first and secondsegments can also be determined by Southern blot analysis.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a method for reducing thefrequency of transformed plants with vector backbone sequences relativeto a conventional vector having two sets of LB/RB flanking twotranscription units, such as pMON97396 which lacks shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences, by introducing into a plant cell genome a firstnucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segment including a firsttranscription unit including a sequence of interest that is not aselectable marker flanked on both sides by a first and a second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a first left border region and a right borderregion, where the first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the DNA segment, and the first shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked and operablylinked to a promoter and the first nucleic acid molecule furtherincludes a second transcription unit having a lethal or non-lethalnegative selectable marker gene located outside of the first DNA segmentand a second nucleic acid molecule including a second DNA segmentincluding a third transcription unit including a selectable marker geneflanked on both sides by a third and fourth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other and locatedbetween a second left border region and a second right border region,where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesare physically linked to the second border regions and the second borderregions flank the second DNA segment, and the third shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked and operablylinked to a promoter and the first, second, third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of thethird transcription unit; and the second nucleic acid molecule furtherincludes a Limited Host Range (LHR) origin of replication DNA locatedoutside of the second DNA segment and the first, second, third, andfourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to aportion of the third transcription unit; growing transformed plantcells; assaying for expression of the selectable marker and healthygrowth after transformation; and selecting a healthy, transgenic cellexpressing the selectable marker. In a preferred aspect, the secondnucleic acid molecule also includes a fifth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence homologous to a portion of the third transcriptionunit located outside of the second DNA segment and adjacent to thesecond left border region.

c. Genome

In an aspect, the present invention includes a nucleic acid molecule ofthe present invention within a genome. In a preferred aspect, the genomeis the nuclear genome of a plant cell. Included in the present inventionare linked and unlinked versions of the nucleic acid molecules of thepresent invention. A genome of the present invention includes two ormore DNA segments of the present invention inserted into the genome asinverted or direct repeats. In a preferred aspect, a genome of thepresent invention includes a single copy of a first DNA segment of thepresent invention not linked to a second DNA segment of the presentinvention. In another preferred aspect, the present invention includes agenome lacking a selectable marker gene.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a plant genome including anucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segment including a firsttranscription unit flanked on both sides by a first and a second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a first left border region and a first rightborder region, where the first and second transcribable nucleic acidsequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the first DNA segment; and a second DNAsegment including a second transcription unit flanked on both sides by athird and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a second left borderregion and a second right border region, where the third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked tothe second border regions and the second border regions flank the secondDNA segment, and the third shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencethat is homologous to a portion of the second transcription unit isphysically linked and operably linked to a promoter; where the first,second, third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesare homologous to a portion of the second transcription unit. In anaspect, an example construct is shown in FIG. 4. In another aspect, thenucleic acid molecule also includes a fifth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence homologous to a portion of the secondtranscription unit located outside of a DNA segment and adjacent to thesecond left border region. In an aspect, example constructs are shown inFIGS. 4-5. This genome can also include a third transcription unit witha non-lethal negative selectable marker gene located outside of a DNAsegment. The present invention includes a transcription unit that maycomprise a termination sequence. In an aspect, an example construct isshown in FIG. 2. In another aspect, the present invention includes atranscription unit that may not comprise a termination sequence. In anaspect, an example construct is shown in FIG. 5. In one aspect, atranscription unit does not comprise a termination sequence. In anaspect, the second transcription unit does not comprise a terminationsequence.

In a preferred aspect, the present invention includes a plant genomeincluding a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segmentincluding a first transcription unit flanked on both sides by a firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and secondtranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of asecond transcription unit and are physically linked to the first borderregions and the first border regions flank the first DNA segment.

In a preferred aspect, the present invention includes a plant with aplant genome having a nucleic acid molecule including a DNA segmentincluding a transcription unit flanked on both sides by a first andsecond shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a left border region and aright border region, where the first and second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences are physically linked to the border regions andthe border regions flank the DNA segment, and the first shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked and operablylinked to a promoter and the first and the second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of the same or adifferent transcription unit. In a preferred aspect, the first and thesecond shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to aportion to a different transcription unit, such as an unwantedtranscription unit that is or is not in the same genome. The unwantedtranscription unit may be unwanted as a result of another sequencewithin the same T-DNA, such as splA. In another aspect, the plant genomealso includes a third shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencehomologous to a portion of the same or a different transcription unitlocated outside of the DNA segment and adjacent to the left or rightborder, preferably the left border region. This genome can also includea third transcription unit with a non-lethal negative selectable markergene located outside of a DNA segment.

In another aspect, the present invention includes a plant with a plantgenome having a first DNA segment including a first transcription unitflanked on both sides by a first and second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation to each other and locatedbetween a first left border region and a first right border region,where the first and second transcribable nucleic acid sequences arephysically linked to the first border regions and the first borderregions flank the first DNA segment not operably linked and notphysically linked to a second DNA segment including a transcription unitflanked on both sides by a third and fourth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other and locatedbetween a left border region and a right border region, where the thirdand fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physicallylinked to the border regions and the border regions flank the DNAsegment, and the third shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence isphysically linked and operably linked to a promoter and the first,second, third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencesare homologous to a portion of the second transcription unit. In apreferred aspect, the first transcription unit includes a sequence ofinterest without a selectable marker gene and the second transcriptionunit includes a selectable marker. In an aspect, the first and secondDNA segments are located in tandem on the same nucleic acid molecule. Ina more preferred aspect, the first and second DNA segments are locatedon different chromosomes or at least not in tandem on the samechromosome. In a preferred aspect, the first and second DNA segments areseparated by at least 2 centiMorgans (cM), 3 cM, 5 cM, 10cM, 25 cM, or50cM. In an aspect, the plant genome also includes a fifth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence homologous to a portion of thesecond transcription unit located outside of a second DNA segment andadjacent to the second left border region. In an aspect, the fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence can or cannot have aseparate promoter from the second transcription unit. Nucleic acidmolecules of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Inanother aspect, the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence can belocated in the 5′ UTR or 3′ UTR of the second transcription unit, suchas shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. In another aspect, the shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence can or cannot be synthetic, such as shown in FIGS.9-12.

d. Plants

In an aspect, the present invention includes a nucleic acid molecule ofthe present invention within a plant. Plants that can be made bypractice of the present invention include any plants that are subject totransformation and regeneration and include, but are not limited to,Acacia, alfalfa, aneth, apple, apricot, artichoke, arugula, asparagus,avocado, banana, barley, beans, beet, blackberry, blueberry, broccoli,brussels sprouts, cabbage, canola, cantaloupe, carrot, cassava,cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, cherry, cilantro, citrus,clementines, coffee, corn, cotton, cucumber, Douglas fir, eggplant,endive, escarole, eucalyptus, fennel, figs, forest trees, gourd, grape,grapefruit, honey dew, jicama, kiwifruit, lettuce, leeks, lemon, lime,Loblolly pine, mango, melon, mushroom, nut, oat, okra, onion, orange, anornamental plant, papaya, parsley, pea, peach, peanut, pear, pepper,persimmon, pine, pineapple, plantain, plum, pomegranate, poplar, potato,pumpkin, quince, radiata pine, radicchio, radish, rapeseed, raspberry,rice, rye, sorghum, Southern pine, soybean, spinach, squash, strawberry,sugarbeet, sugarcane, sunflower, sweet corn, sweet potato, sweetgum,tangerine, tea, tobacco, tomato, turf, a vine, watermelon, wheat, yams,and zucchini. In preferred embodiments, the plant is a bean, broccoli,cabbage, canola, carrot, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, corn,cotton cucumber, eggplant, leek, lettuce, melon, pea, pepper, pumpkin,radish, spinach, soybean, squash, sugarcane, sweet corn, tomato,watermelon, and wheat plant. In particular embodiments, the plant is acorn plant. In particular aspects, the plant is a soybean plant. Inother aspects, the plant is a cotton plant. And in still furtherembodiments, the plant is a canola plant.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a genome of the presentinvention within a plant. In an aspect, the present invention includes aplant with a plant genome having a nucleic acid molecule including afirst DNA segment including a first transcription unit including asequence of interest flanked on both sides by a first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a first left border region and a first rightborder region, where the first and second transcribable nucleic acidsequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the first DNA segment; and a second DNAsegment including a second transcription unit including a selectablemarker gene flanked on both sides by a third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a second left border region and a second rightborder region, where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences are physically linked to the second border regions andthe second border regions flank the second DNA segment, and the thirdshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked andoperably linked to a promoter; where the first, second, third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portionof the second transcription unit. In a preferred aspect, the firsttranscription unit does not share any sequence identity with 21 or morecontiguous nucleotides to a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence.In another aspect, the plant also includes a fifth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence homologous to a portion of the secondtranscription unit located outside of a DNA segment and adjacent to thesecond left border and can also include a third transcription unit witha non-lethal negative selectable marker gene located outside of a DNAsegment.

In a more preferred aspect, the present invention includes a plant witha plant genome having a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNAsegment including a first transcription unit including a sequence ofinterest flanked on both sides by a first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a first left border region and a first rightborder region, where the first and second transcribable nucleic acidsequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the first DNA segment; and a second DNAsegment including a second transcription unit including a selectablemarker gene flanked on both sides by a third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a second left border region and a second rightborder region, where the third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences are physically linked to the second border regions andthe second border regions flank the second DNA segment, and the thirdshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked andoperably linked to a promoter; where the first, second, third and fourthshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portionof the second transcription unit, and said nucleic acid molecule furthercontains a fifth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence that ishomologous to a portion of the second transcription unit located betweenthe first DNA segment and the second DNA segment and adjacent to thesecond left border region. This plant can also include a thirdtranscription unit with a non-lethal negative selectable marker genelocated outside of a DNA segment.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a plant with a plant genomehaving a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segment including afirst transcription unit including a sequence of interest flanked onboth sides by a first and a second shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequences in opposite orientation to each other and located between afirst left border region and a first right border region, where thefirst and second transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physicallylinked to the first border regions and the first border regions flankthe first DNA segment; and a second DNA segment including a secondtranscription unit including a selectable marker gene flanked on bothsides by a third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencein opposite orientation to each other and located between a second leftborder region; where the first and second shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequences are homologous to a portion of the second transcriptionunit and said plant genome lacks the second transcription unit. Thisplant can also include a third transcription unit with a non-lethalnegative selectable marker gene located outside of the DNA segment.

In a more preferred aspect, the present invention includes a plant witha plant genome having a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNAsegment including a first transcription unit including a sequence ofinterest flanked on both sides by a first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a first left border region and a first rightborder region, where the first and second transcribable nucleic acidsequences are physically linked to the first border regions and thefirst border regions flank the first DNA segment; and a second DNAsegment including a second transcription unit including a selectablemarker gene flanked on both sides by a third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to eachother and located between a second left border region; where the firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologousto a portion of the second transcription unit and said plant genomelacks the second transcription unit including a selectable marker gene.In a preferred aspect, a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencedoes not share any sequence identity with greater than 21 nucleotides ofthe first transcription unit. In another preferred aspect, the presentinvention includes a plant lacking a selectable marker gene. The plantcan further contain a fifth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencethat is homologous to a portion of the second transcription unit notlocated between the first DNA segment or the second DNA segment andadjacent to the second left border region. This plant can also include athird transcription unit with a non-lethal negative selectable markergene located outside of a DNA segment.

e. Transgenic Cell

In an aspect, the present invention includes a nucleic acid molecule ofthe present invention within a transgenic cell. A transgenic cell hasexogenous nucleic acids.

Nucleic acids include deoxynucleic acids (DNA) and ribonucleic acids(RNA) and functionally equivalent analogues thereof. Exemplary nucleicacids that may be introduced by the methods encompassed by the presentinvention include, for example, nucleic acid sequences or genes fromanother species, or even genes or sequences that originate with or arepresent in the same species, but are incorporated into recipient cellsby genetic engineering methods rather than classical reproduction orbreeding techniques.

The term “exogenous” is also intended to refer to genes that are notnormally present in the cell being transformed, or perhaps simply notpresent in the form, structure, etc., as found in the transformingnucleic acid segment or gene, or genes that are normally present yetthat one desires, e.g., to have over-expressed. The term “exogenous”gene or nucleic acid is intended to refer to any gene or nucleic acidsegment that is introduced into a recipient cell, regardless of whethera similar gene may already be present in such a cell. The type ofnucleic acid molecule included in the exogenous nucleic acid moleculecan include a nucleic acid sequence that is already present in the cell,a nucleic acid sequence from another plant, a nucleic acid sequence froma different organism, or a nucleic acid sequence generated externally,such as a nucleic acid sequence including an antisense or RNAi messageof a gene, or a nucleic acid sequence encoding a synthetic or modifiedversion of a gene.

The present invention includes any bacterial cell having a nucleic acidmolecule of the present invention. Such a bacterial cell may even onlybe involved in the propagation of a nucleic acid molecule of the presentinvention. In particular, bacteria known to mediate plant celltransformation include a number of species of the Rhizobiaceae,including, but not limited to, Agrobacterium sp., Sinorhizobium sp.,Mesorhizobium sp., and Bradyrhizobium sp. (e.g. Broothaerts et al.,2005; US20050289667; US20050289672; US20070271627). Targets for suchtransformation have often been undifferentiated tissues, althoughdifferentiated tissue also has been used for transient and stable planttransformation, and may be in this instance. Examples of these tissuesinclude embryos including immature embryos, callus, cotyledons,hypocotyls, meristems, leaves, stems, or roots. Other methods have beendeveloped for transferring genes into plant tissue including highvelocity microprojection, microinjection, electroporation, direct DNAuptake and, bacterially-mediated transformation. Where non-bacteriallymediated transformation is used, the nucleic acids of the presentinvention may not include a border region.

In a preferred aspect, the present invention includes a bacterial cellhaving a nucleic acid molecule of the present invention. In a morepreferred aspect, the bacterial cell is competent for the transformationof at least a first plant cell. In a most preferred aspect, thebacterial cell is any one of Agrobacterium spp., Rhizobium spp.,Sinorhizobium spp., Mesorhizobium spp., Phyllobacterium spp.,Ochrobactrum spp., Bradyrhizobium spp., Pseudomonas spp, Azospirillumspp, Rhodococcus spp, Phyllobacterium spp, Xanthomonas spp, Burkholderiaspp, Erwinia spp, Ochrobacter spp, and Bacillus spp. In a preferredaspect, the present invention includes a plant cell. In a more preferredaspect, the cell is a bean, broccoli, cabbage, canola, carrot,cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, corn, cotton cucumber, eggplant,leek, lettuce, melon, pea, pepper, pumpkin, radish, spinach, soybean,squash, sugarcane, sweet corn, tomato, watermelon, and wheat cell. In amost preferred aspect, the plant cell is a sugarcane, wheat, corn,soybean, cotton, or canola, plant cell.

Methods of transforming plant cells are well known by persons ofordinary skill in the art. For instance, specific instructions fortransforming plant cells by microprojectile bombardment with particlescoated with recombinant DNA are found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,580(soybean); U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,318 (corn); U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,880(corn); U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,451 (soybean); U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,208(corn); U.S. Pat. No. 6,399,861 (corn) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,812(wheat); U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,070 (rice); U.S. Pat. No. 7,122,722(cotton); U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,756 (Brassica); U.S. Pat. No. 6,297,056(Brassica); US Patent Publication 20040123342 (sugarcane) andAgrobacterium-mediated transformation is described in U.S. Pat. No.5,159,135 (cotton); U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,877 (soybean); U.S. Pat. No.5,591,616 (corn); U.S. Pat. No. 6,384,301 (soybean); U.S. Pat. No.5,750,871 (Brassica); U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,174 (Brassica) U.S. Pat. No.5,188,958 (Brassica), all of which are incorporated herein by reference.Methods for transforming other plants can be found in Compendium ofTransgenic Crop Plants, 2009. Blackwell Publishing.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a transgenic celltransformed with a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segmentincluding a first transcription unit flanked on both sides by a firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and secondtranscribable nucleic acid sequences are physically linked to the firstborder regions and the first border regions flank the first DNA segment;and a second DNA segment including a second transcription unit flankedon both sides by a third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence in opposite orientation to each other and located between asecond left border region and a second right border region, where thethird and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arephysically linked to the second border regions and the second borderregions flank the second DNA segment, and the third shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is physically linked and operablylinked to a promoter; where the first, second, third and fourth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of thesecond transcription unit.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a transgenic celltransformed with a nucleic acid molecule including a first DNA segmentincluding a first transcription unit flanked on both sides by a firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences in oppositeorientation to each other and located between a first left border regionand a first right border region, where the first and secondtranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of asecond transcription unit and are physically linked to the first borderregions and the first border regions flank the first DNA segment.

In an aspect, the present invention includes a cell transformed with anucleic acid molecule including a DNA segment including a transcriptionunit flanked on both sides by a first and second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other and locatedbetween a left border region and a right border region, where the firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are physicallylinked to the border regions and the border regions flank the DNAsegment, and the first shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence isphysically linked and operably linked to a promoter and the first andthe second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are homologousto a portion of the transcription unit. In a preferred aspect, thepresent invention includes a transgenic cell lacking a selectable markergene.

Examples of desirable traits for transcription units include but are notlimited to genes for disease, insect, or pest tolerance, herbicidetolerance, genes for quality improvements such as yield, nutritionalenhancements, environmental or stress tolerances, or any desirablechanges in plant physiology, growth, development, morphology or plantproduct(s). Nonlimiting examples are listed in Table 1.

TABLE 1 List of sequence or gene of interest and traits they confer.Trait Sequence or gene of interest Reference Male/female SeveralUS20050150013 sterility system Glyphosate/EPSPS U.S. Pat. No. 6,762,344Male sterility gene linked to herbicide U.S. Pat. No. 6,646,186resistant gene Acetylated toxins/deacetylase U.S. Pat. No. 6,384,304Antisense to an essential gene in pollen U.S. Pat. No. 6,255,564formation DNAase or endonuclease/restorer protein U.S. Pat. No.6,046,382 Ribonuclease/barnase U.S. Pat. No. 5,633,441 Intrinsic yieldglycolate oxidase or glycolate US2006009598 dehydrogenase, glyoxylatecarboligase, tartronic semialdehyde reductase eukaryotic initiationFactor 5A; US20050235378 deoxyhypusine synthase zinc finger proteinUS20060048239 methionine aminopeptidase US20060037106 severalUS20060037106 2,4-D dioxygenase US20060030488 serine carboxypeptidaseUS20060085872 Several USRE38,446; 6,716,474; 6,663,906; 6,476,295;6,441,277; 6,423,828; 6,399,330; 6,372,211; 6,235,971; 6,222,098;5,716,837; 6,723,897; 6,518,488 Nitrogen use fungal nitrate reductases,mutant nitrate US20050044585 efficiency reductases lackingpost-translational regulation, glutamate synthetase-1, glutamatedehydrogenase, aminotransferases, nitrate transporters (high affinityand low affinities), ammonia transporters and amino acid transportersglutamate dehydrogenase US20060090219 cytosolic glutamine synthetase;root- EP0722494 specific glutamine synthetase. several WO05103270glutamate 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase U.S. Pat. No. 6,864,405Abiotic Stress succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase US20060075522tolerance several WO06032708 including cold, several US20060008874 heat,drought transcription factor US20060162027 Disease resistance CYP93C(cytochrome P450) U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,113 Several U.S. patents U.S. Pat.No. 7,038,113; 6,653,280; 6,573,361; 6,506,962; 6,316,407; 6,215,048;5,516,671; 5,773,696; 6,121,436; 6,316,407; 6,506,962; 6,617,496;6,608,241; 6,015,940; 6,013,864; 5,850,023; 5,304,730); 6,228,992;5,516,671 Insect resistance Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry1Ba, U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,809,078; Cry1Bb, Cry1Ca, Cry2Aa, Cry2Ab, Cry3A, 6,713,063;6,686,452; Cry3B, Cry3C, Cry9, Cry34 and Cry35 6,657,046; 6,645,497;(PS149B1), ET33, ET34, ET29, TIC 809, 6,642,030; 6,639,054; TIC810,TIC900, TIC901, TIC1201, 6,620,988; 6,593,293; TIC407, TIC417, PS149B1,VIP1, VIP2, 6,555,655; 6,538,109; VIP3 and VIP3A, Cry1A.105, RNA for6,537,756; 6,521,442; gene suppression targeting an insect gene,6,501,009; 6,468,523; DV49 6,326,351; 6,313,378; 6,284,949; 6,281,016;6,248,536; 6,242,241; 6,221,649; 6,177,615; 6,156,573; 6,153,814;6,110,464; 6,093,695; 6,063,756; 6,063,597; 6,023,013; 5,959,091;5,942,664; 5,942,658, 5,880,275; 5,763,245; 5,763,241; 6,291,156;6,486,157; 6,429,360; 7,244,820; US2005/0210545; US 2007/022897; WO07/027776; US20060021087; WO07027776A2 Enhanced amino glutamatedehydrogenase U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,782 acid content threonine deaminaseUS20050289668 dihydrodipicolinic acid synthase (dap A) U.S. Pat. No.5,258,300 Enhanced protein Several US20050055746; U.S. content Pat. No.6,380,466 Modified fatty Several U.S. Pat. No. 6,949,698; U.S. Pat. Nos.acids 6,444,876; 6,426,447; 6,380,462; U.S. patents U.S. Pat. No.6,949,698; 6,828,475; 6,822,141; 6,770,465; 6,706,950; 6,660,849;6,596,538; 6,589,767; 6,537,750; 6,489,461; 6,459,018 Enhanced oilSeveral U.S. Pat. No. 6,495,739; content 5,608,149; 6,483,008; 6,476,295Carbohydrate Raffinose saccharides U.S. Pat. No. 6,967,262 productionStarch Several U.S. Pat. No. 6,951,969; 6,538,181; production 6,538,179;6,538,178; 5,750,876; 6,476,295 Phytic acid inositol polyphosphate2-kinase WO06029296 reduction inositol 1,3,4-triphosphate 5/6-kinasesUS20050202486 Processing Several WO05096804; U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,576enzymes Alpha-amylase US20060200877 production phytase US20030170293Biopolymers Several U.S. patents USRE37,543; 6,228,623; 5,958,745 andU.S. Patent Publication No. US20030028917 Enhanced Several U.S. Pat. No.6,723,837; nutrition 6,653,530; 6,5412,59; 5,985,605; 6,171,640Pharmaceutical Several U.S. Pat. No. 6,812,379; peptides and 6,774,283;6,140,075; secretable peptides 6,080,560 Improved sucrose phosphorylaseU.S. Pat. No. 6,476,295 processing trait Improved thioredoxin and/orthioredoxin reductase U.S. Pat. No. 6,531,648 digestibility

In a preferred aspect, the sequence of interest in the secondtranscription unit is a marker gene such as a selectable, screenable, orscoreable marker gene. In one aspect, a marker gene is capable ofidentifying a transformed cell. In one aspect, a marker gene mayfunction in a regenerable plant tissue to produce a compound that wouldconfer upon the plant tissue resistance to an otherwise toxic compound.A number of marker genes are known in the art and can be used in thepresent invention. Sequences of interest for use as a selectable,screenable, or scoreable marker would include but are not limited toGUS, green fluorescent protein (GFP), luciferase (LUX), genes conferringtolerance to antibiotics like kanamycin (Dekeyser et al., 1989),neomycin, paramomycin, G418, aminoglycosides, spectinomycin,streptomycin, hygromycin B, bleomycin, phleomycin, sulfonamides,streptothricin, chloramphenicol, methotrexate, 2-deoxyglucose, betainealdehyde, S-aminoethyl L-cysteine, 4-methyltryptophan, D-xylose,D-mannose, benzyladenine-N-3-glucuronidase. Examples of variousselectable markers and genes providing resistance against them aredisclosed in Miki and McHugh, 2004 (Miki and McHugh, J. Biotechnol.,107: 193-232, 2004). Genes that encode enzymes that give tolerance toherbicides can also be used as marker genes. Examples of theseherbicides include glyphosate (e.g. 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphatesynthase (EPSPS): Della-Cioppa et al., 1987; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,627,061;5,633,435; 6,040,497; 5,094,945; WO04074443, and WO04009761; glyphosateoxidoreductase (GOX; U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,175); glyphosate decarboxylase(WO05003362 and US Patent Application 20040177399) or glyphosateN-acetyltransferase (GAT; U.S. Patent Publication 20030083480)), dalapon(e.g. dehl encoding 2,2-dichloropropionic acid dehalogenase conferringtolerance to 2,2-dichloropropionic acid (Dalapon; WO9927116)),bromoxynil (haloarylnitrilase (Bxn) for conferring tolerance tobromoxynil (WO8704181A1; U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,648; WO8900193A)), sulfonylherbicides (e.g. acetohydroxyacid synthase or acetolactate synthaseconferring tolerance to acetolactate synthase inhibitors such assulfonylurea, imidazolinone, triazolopyrimidine, pyrimidyloxybenzoatesand phthalide; (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,225,105; 5,767,366; 4,761,373;5,633,437; 6,613,963; 5,013,659; 5,141,870; 5,378,824; 5,605,011));encoding ALS, GST-II), bialaphos or phosphinothricin or derivatives(e.g. phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (bar) conferring tolerance tophosphinothricin or glufosinate (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,646,024, 5,561,236,5,276,268; 5,637,489; 5,273,894; and EP 275,957)), atrazine (encodingGST-III), dicamba (dicamba monooxygenase; U.S. Patent ApplicationPublications 20030115626, 20030135879), or sethoxydim (modifiedacetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase for conferring tolerance tocyclohexanedione (sethoxydim) and aryloxyphenoxypropionate (haloxyfop)(U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,222), herbicide containing an aryloxyalkanoatemoiety such as phenoxy auxins such as 2,4-D and dichlorpropandpyridyloxy auxins such as fluoroxypyr and triclopyr(aryloxyphenoxypropionates (AOPP) aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenaseconferring resistance to the said herbicides; WO05 107437; WO07053482),among others. Other selection procedures can also be implementedincluding positive selection mechanisms (e.g. use of the manA gene of E.coli, allowing growth in the presence of mannose) and would still fallwithin the scope of the present invention.

Nucleic acid molecules of the present invention or fragments thereof arecapable of specifically hybridizing to other nucleic acid molecules,also included in the present invention, under certain circumstances. Forexample, shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences can be capable ofhybridizing to a first or second transcription unit, for example, underhigh or low stringency. In an aspect, the nucleic acid molecules of thepresent invention include nucleic acid molecules that hybridize to thesemolecules, for example, under high or low stringency, that aresubstantially homologous sequences to these molecules. As used herein,two nucleic acid molecules are capable of specifically hybridizing toone another if the two molecules are capable of forming ananti-parallel, double-stranded nucleic acid structure. As used herein,molecules exhibit “complete complementarity” when every nucleotide ofone of the molecules is complementary to a nucleotide of the other. Twomolecules are “minimally complementary” if they can hybridize to oneanother with sufficient stability to permit them to remain annealed toone another under at least conventional “low-stringency” conditions.Similarly, the molecules are “complementary” if they can hybridize toone another with sufficient stability to permit them to remain annealedto one another under conventional “high-stringency” conditions.Conventional stringency conditions are described by Sambrook et al., In:Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Edition, Cold Spring HarborPress, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989)), and by Haymes et al., In:Nucleic Acid Hybridization, A Practical Approach, IRL Press, Washington,D.C. (1985).

Departures from complete complementarity are therefore permissible, aslong as such departures do not completely preclude the capacity of themolecules to form a double-stranded structure. In order for a nucleicacid sequence to serve as a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence,it need only be sufficiently complementary in sequence to be able toform a stable double-stranded structure under the particular solvent andsalt concentrations employed such that it can serve as a substrate forenzymes to generate small siRNAs or miRNAs.

As used herein, a substantially homologous sequence is a nucleic acidsequence that will specifically hybridize to the complement of thenucleic acid sequence to which it is being compared under highstringency conditions. A shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence ofthe present invention can hybridize under stringent conditions to atarget DNA sequence. The term “stringent hybridization conditions” isdefined as conditions under which a shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence hybridizes specifically with a target sequence(s) and not withnon-target sequences, as can be determined empirically. The term“stringent conditions” is functionally defined with regard to thehybridization of a shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence to atarget nucleic acid (i.e., to a particular nucleic acid sequence ofinterest) by the specific hybridization procedure discussed in Sambrooket al., 1989, at 9.52-9.55. See also, Sambrook et al., 1989 at9.47-9.52, 9.56-9.58; Kanehisa, Nucl. Acids Res. 12:203-213, 1984; andWetmur and Davidson, J. Mol. Biol. 31:349-370, 1968. Appropriatestringency conditions that promote DNA hybridization are, for example,6.0× sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) at about 45° C., followed by awash of 2.0×SSC at 50° C., are known to those skilled in the art or canbe found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons,N.Y., 1989, 6.3.1-6.3.6. For example, the salt concentration in the washstep can be selected from a low stringency of about 2.0×SSC at 50° C. toa high stringency of about 0.2×SSC at 50° C. In addition, thetemperature in the wash step can be increased from low stringencyconditions at room temperature, about 22° C., to high stringencyconditions at about 65° C. Both temperature and salt may be varied, oreither the temperature or the salt concentration may be held constantwhile the other variable is changed.

For example, stringent hybridization using shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence can be performed at 65° C. in 6×SSC, 0.5% SDS,5×Denhardt's, 100 μg/mL nonspecific DNA (e.g., sonicated salmon spermDNA) with washing at 0.5×SSC, 0.5% SDS at 65° C., for high stringency.

It is contemplated that lower stringency hybridization conditions suchas lower hybridization and/or washing temperatures can be used toidentify related sequences having a lower degree of sequence similarityif specificity of binding of the shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence to target sequence(s) is preserved. Accordingly, the nucleotidesequences of the present invention can be used for their ability toselectively form duplex molecules with complementary stretches of DNA,RNA, or cDNA fragments. Detection of DNA segments via hybridization iswell-known to those of skill in the art, and thus depending on theapplication envisioned, one will desire to employ varying hybridizationconditions to achieve varying degrees of selectivity of probe towardstarget sequence and the method of choice will depend on the desiredresults.

The agents of the present invention may also be recombinant. As usedherein, the term recombinant means any agent (e.g. DNA, peptide etc.),that is, or results, however indirect, from human manipulation of anucleic acid molecule.

In an aspect, an agent of the present invention will specificallyhybridize to one or more of the nucleic acid molecules set forth in thepresent invention or fragments of either under moderately stringentconditions, for example at about 2.0×SSC and about 65° C. In an aspect,a nucleic acid of the present invention will specifically hybridize toone or more of the nucleic acid molecules set forth in the presentinvention or fragments thereof under high stringency conditions.

Agents of the present invention include fragment nucleic acid moleculesof the present invention. Fragments can contain significant portions of,or indeed most of, nucleic acid molecules set forth in the presentinvention. In an aspect, the fragments are between 100 and 200contiguous residues, 75 and 100 contiguous residues, 50 and 150contiguous residues, or 20 and 50 contiguous residues long of a nucleicmolecule of the present invention. In another aspect, the fragmentcomprises at least 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 50, 75, 100, or 200contiguous residues of a nucleic acid molecule of the present inventionand 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 at most contiguous residues of a nucleicacid molecule of the present invention. In an aspect, a fragment nucleicacid molecule is capable of selectively hybridizing to nucleic acidmolecules set forth in the present invention.

In one aspect of the present invention, a preferred nucleic acidsequence of the present invention shares between 80% and 100% or 90% and100% sequence identity across the length of the sequence with a nucleicacid sequence set forth in the present invention or fragments thereof.In a further aspect of the present invention, a preferred nucleic acidsequence of the present invention shares between 95% and 100% sequenceidentity with a nucleic acid sequence set forth in the present inventionor fragments thereof. In an aspect of the present invention, a preferredmarker nucleic acid molecule of the present invention shares between 98%and 100% sequence identity with a nucleic acid sequence set forth in thepresent invention or fragments thereof.

The percent identity is preferably determined using the “Best Fit” or“Gap” program of the Sequence Analysis Software Package™ (Version 10;Genetics Computer Group, Inc., University of Wisconsin BiotechnologyCenter, Madison, Wis.). “Gap” utilizes the algorithm of Needleman andWunsch to find the alignment of two sequences that maximizes the numberof matches and minimizes the number of gaps. “BestFit” performs anoptimal alignment of the best segment of similarity between twosequences and inserts gaps to maximize the number of matches using thelocal homology algorithm of Smith and Waterman. The percent identitycalculations may also be performed using the Megalign program of theLASERGENE bioinformatics computing suite (default parameters, DNASTARInc., Madison, Wis.). The percent identity is most preferably determinedusing the “Best Fit” program using default parameters.

Having now generally described the invention, the same will be morereadily understood through reference to the following examples which areprovided by way of illustration, and are not intended to be limiting ofthe present invention, unless expressly specified.

VIII. EXAMPLES Example 1

This example demonstrates use of an RNAi-selection against linkageconstruct (RNAi-SAL, pMON97397) or a crtB-selection against readthroughconstruct (crtB-SAR, pMON108800) for increasing the percentage ofone-copy gene of interest (GOI) events as compared to a conventional2T-DNA control construct (pMON97396). These constructs are made withstandard molecular biology methods known to one skilled in the art. Theconstructs are mobilized in Agrobacterium tumefaciens which is then usedto obtain transformed corn plants according to the transformation methoddescribed by Cai et al. (US Published Application 20040244075), hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety. The GOI copy number in anevent is estimated by assaying for PinII 3′UTR sequence present in theGOI transcription unit by TaqMan® assay (Applied Biosystems, FosterCity, Calif.). As shown in Table 2, the RNAi-SAL and crtB-SAR constructsincreased percentage of one-copy events as compared to the controlconstruct.

TABLE 2 % of Events with GOI Copy Number Brief one- two- four- overConstruct Description copy copies copies four pMON97397 RNAi-SAL 42% 16%8% 0% pMON108800 crtB-SAR 36% 21% 2% 1% pMON97396 Conventional 2T 28%24% 13%  8%

Example 2

This example demonstrates use of an RNAi-SAL construct (pMON97397) or acrtB-SAR construct (pMON108800) for increasing the marker-freetransformations (MFTF) as compared to a conventional 2T controlconstruct (pMON97396). Percentage of MFTF is defined as number of R₀events with at least one unlinked GOI copy per number of explants. Theseconstructs are made with standard molecular biology methods known to oneskilled in the art. The constructs are mobilized in Agrobacteriumtumefaciens, which is then used to obtain transformed corn plantsaccording to the transformation described by Cai et al. (US PublishedApplication 20040244075). The GOI (GUS) or CP4 copy numbers in an eventare estimated by assaying for PinII 3′UTR or CP4 sequence present in thegene of interest of transcription unit or selectable markertranscription unit by TaqMan® assay (Applied Biosystems, Foster City,Calif.). The occurrence of unlinked GOI and selectable marker segmentsin an event was determined by F1 segregation analysis of the eventsusing the TaqMan® assay. As shown in Table 3, both RNAi-SAL and crtB-SARconstructs increased the MFTF as compared to the control construct forevents with low complexity i.e., events with 1 GOI or 1-2 GOI.

TABLE 3 Mean Mean Mean Brief MFTF MFTF MFTF Construct Description (allGOI) (1-2 GOI) (1 GOI) pMON97396 Conventional 2T 2.7% 1.9% 0.8%pMON108800 crtB-SAR 1.9% 1.9% 1.5% pMON97397 RNAi SAL 2.9% 2.5% 1.9%

Example 3

This example demonstrates use of a crtB-SAR (pMON108800) construct forreducing readthrough linkage as compared to a conventional 2T construct(pMON97396). These constructs are made with standard molecular biologymethods known to one skilled in the art. The constructs were mobilizedin Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which is then used to obtain transformedcorn plants according to the transformation described by Cai et al. (USPublished Application 20040244075). The occurrence of unlinked segmentsin an event is assayed by F1 segregation analysis, and the occurrence ofreadthrough linkage is assayed for the presence of origin of replication(OriV) DNA between the left border regions of the two segments byTaqMan® assay (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.). Use of thecrtB-SAR construct results in 76% of the events being OriV negative,whereas with the control construct 38% of the events are OriV negative.

Example 4

Constructs described above are further modified to combine both SAL/SAReffects and improve efficiency of eliminating linked events further byselecting against events that have border to border linkage and/orreadthrough border linkage.

No transformation events are recovered with RB-RB linked segments fromthe above constructs and providing the Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV)e35S promoter (P-e35S) near the left border assists in eliminating LB-LBlinked segments. The following modifications are made in pMON108847(FIG. 4), the figwort mosaic virus promoter (P-FMV) near the left border(nLB) is replaced with a P-e35S. Also, an additional shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is added between the two leftborders to prevent the recovery of the events with readthrough linkage.

In pMON108841 (FIG. 5) and pMON108851 (FIG. 6), a 3′ UTR of theselectable marker transcription unit is removed such that thetranscription of the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence iscontrolled by the promoter of the selectable marker transcription unitthereby eliminating the need for an additional promoter. Also, thisimprovement makes the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence partof the selectable marker transcriptional unit and causes furthersuppression of the selectable marker gene. An additional fifth shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is added to pMON108841 (FIG. 5)between the two left borders to prevent the recovery of the events withreadthrough linkage.

These constructs are made with standard molecular biology methods knownto one skilled in the art. The constructs are mobilized in Agrobacteriumtumefaciens, which is then used to obtain transformed corn plantsaccording to the transformation described by Cai et al. (US PublishedApplication 20040244075). The occurrence of readthrough linkage isassayed for the presence of origin of replication (OriV) between theleft border regions of the two segments by TaqMan® assay (AppliedBiosystems, Foster City, Calif.). Transformation of pMON108851 occurssubsequent to or simultaneously with pMON108849, which includes asequence of interest transcription unit.

As shown in Table 4, all RNAi SAL/SAR constructs show a reduction in TFrelative to the control by exhibiting lower tissue culture to soilconversion rates than the control due to the loss of events havingeither type of linkage. Such linkage events are not able to survive ontissue culture selection medium due to silencing and/or weak expressionof the selectable marker CP4 in such events. All modified constructsproduce higher percentages of OriV− events compared to the control.Further, the presence of the SAR element (as measured by OriV+ events)lowers CP4 expression in one-copy events obtained from transformationwith SAR-containing constructs. See Table 4. CP4 expression is measuredby Taqman® assay (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.).

TABLE 4 Tissue Culture Average to Soil Constructs Brief TF ConversionOriV− Average CP4 expression pMON Description (%) Rate Events OriV−OriV+ Ratio 108841 RNAi-SAL 3.6 34% 88% 1282110 261080 4.9 e35S (T-less)/SAR 108847 RNAi-SAL 2x 8.2 49% 75% 92944902 333101 279.0 e35S/SAR108849 + RNAi-SAL 8.0 38% 90% — — — 108851 e35S (T-less) LHR/crtB-SAR 97396 Conventional 18.8 77% 63% 11849044 28400680 0.4 2T

Example 5

Some of the plants recovered after transformation with pMON97397 do nothave readthrough linkage, i.e., they are OriV negative, and they haveDNA segments linked at left border to left border (LB-LB). Although, theCP4 expression is reduced in these events, it is not sufficientlyreduced to prevent recovery of the events containing LB-LB linkedsegments.

CP4 expression in these events correlates with the length of the loopbetween the two shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences and withdeletions in the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences, i.e., alarger loop size and/or deletion reduced silencing leads to increasedCP4 expression. A smaller loop and/or an intact shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence will enhance silencing further and decrease CP4expression further.

The constructs described above are modified accordingly. The pMON97397construct is modified by inserting a 126 basepair non-functionalfragment of the octopine type LB (oLB) into the 5′ UTR (pMON108883) or3′ UTR (pMON108882) of the CP4 transcription unit, as well as using thisfragment to replace the CP4 coding region fragments adjacent to the CP4RB and LB, and GOI RB. pMON108847 is also modified in the same manner aspMON97367, with one additional modification, the LB fragment is insertedin between two left borders to prevent readthrough linkage (pMON108876(3′ UTR) and pMON108878 (5′ UTR)). These modifications are designed toprovide a smaller loop for the inverted repeats because the RNAi targetis closer to the GOI LB nick site. This also increases the size of theshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence to allow for more efficientsilencing.

These constructs are made with standard molecular biology methods knownto one skilled in the art. The constructs are mobilized in Agrobacteriumtumefaciens, which is then used to obtain transformed corn plantsaccording to the transformation described by Cai et al. (US PublishedApplication 20040244075). The occurrence of unlinked segments in anevent is assayed by F1 segregation analysis and the occurrence ofreadthrough linkage is assayed for the presence of origin ofreplication, OriV, DNA between the left border regions of the twosegments by TaqMan® assay (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.).

TABLE 5 Construct Brief Description pMON108882 RNAi-SAL FMV/e35S withmodified LB in 3′UTR pMON108883 RNAi-SAL FMV/e35S with modified LB in5′UTR pMON108876 RNAi-SAL 2xe35S with modified LB in 3′UTR/SARpMON108878 RNAi-SAL 2xe35S with modified LB in 5′UTR/SAR

Example 6

This example illustrates the use of a synthetic shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence instead of a part of the coding region of aselectable marker gene, a regulatory sequence of the transcription unit,or a fragment of the LB sequence in selecting against events that hadborder to border linkage and/or readthrough border linkage. Syntheticshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are desirable forcommercial applications over a fragment of a protein coding gene, e.g.,such as CP4, flanking a GOI as the presence of such a fragment of aprotein coding gene as the shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequencemay raise regulatory concerns. To alleviate this concern, sequences thatcannot potentially encode proteins are utilized. These syntheticsequences have no protein coding potential by themselves and have nohomology to any other transgene or endogenous gene sequence. The use ofsynthetic transcribable sequences has several advantages. The sequencescan be screened for optimal silencing efficacy beforehand. Thesesynthetic shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences have 75basepairs, a high Reynolds scores (Reynolds scores represent thepotential efficacy of theoretical siRNAs generated from the syntheticsequences for silencing; Reynolds et al., Nat Biotechnol. (2004)22:326-30), lack ATGs (start codons) in both strands, lack putativepolyA signals, and lack potential allergenic peptides. These sequencesare inserted into one of the UTRs of the selectable marker transcriptionunit. A part of it or all of it is also used at the ends of T-DNAs toform the inverted repeats if/when T-DNAs become linked. The effect ofthe synthetic shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence on its own istested by first inserting it in the selectable marker transcription unitand then using a transient transformation assay system to assess itsimpact on the expression of the selectable marker.

A synthetic shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence (MTI-5; SEQ IDNO:41) is inserted into the selectable marker transcription unit in the5′ UTR (pMON108880) or 3′ UTR (pMON108879). MTI-5 (SEQ ID NO:41) is a100 basepair (bp) synthetic sequence created by joining parts of twopreviously identified 75 bp sequences and re-screening with the samecriteria used for the 75 bp sequences. In pMON108881, the nos terminatorDNA sequence from Agrobacterium tumefaciens (T-nos) in the CP4transcription unit and the promoter are removed such that the syntheticshorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is under the control of CP4transcription unit promoter. Additionally a synthetic shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequence is provided between the two leftborders to prevent the recovery of the events with readthrough linkage.

TABLE 6 Construct Brief Description pMON108879 RNAi-SAL 2xe35S withMTI-5 in 3′UTR/SAR pMON108880 RNAi-SAL 2xe35S with MTI-5 in 5′UTR/SARpMON108881 RNAi-SAL e35S with MTI-5 in 5′UTR (T-nos)/SAR

These constructs are made with standard molecular biology methods knownto one skilled in the art. The constructs are mobilized in Agrobacteriumtumefaciens, which is then used to obtain transformed corn plantsaccording to the transformation described by Cai et al. (US PublishedApplication 20040244075). The occurrence of unlinked segments in anevent is assayed by F1 segregation analysis and the occurrence ofreadthrough linkage is assayed for the presence of origin ofreplication, OriV, DNA between the left border regions of the twosegments by TaqMan® assay (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.).

Having illustrated and described the principles of the presentinvention, it should be apparent to persons skilled in the art that theinvention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departingfrom such principles. We claim all modifications that are within thespirit, scope and concept of the appended claims.

Example 7

The modified DNA constructs, pMON1 and pMON2, contain a gene of interestcassette and a 126 base pair non-functional fragment of the octopinetype LB (oLB) into the 3′ UTR as in pMON108882 in Example 5. The DNAconstructs are made with standard molecular biology methods known to oneskilled in the art. The constructs are mobilized in Agrobacteriumtumefaciens, which is then used to obtain transformed corn plantsaccording to the transformation described by Cai et al. Individualprimary transgenic plants are subjected to a variety of molecularassays, including tests for the presence of origin of replication, OriV,DNA between the left border regions of the two segments by TaqMan® assay(Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.), as well as an RNA basedTaqMan® assay to determine levels of expression of the CP4 gene. Inaddition, the occurrence of unlinked segments in an event is assayed bymethods described in WO2009055597. As shown in Table 7, a substantialdifference in CP4 expression level in single copy CP4 events can benoticed. Both experimental constructs show high levels of CP4expression, likely due to the presence of extra e35S and FMV promoterson the CP4 gene as compared to control constructs. Expression of CP4gene in the linked events is 20 times lower than unlinked eventsindicating suppression of a selectable marker gene, CP4, by theconstructs of the present invention.

TABLE 7 Reduction in selectable marker gene expression in linked eventsmeasured as average CP4 expression. Average CP4 Expression LevelConstruct Linked Events Unlinked Events pMON1 50965 1181222 Control12590 16473 pMON2 55760 1570444 Control 15296 9649

What is claimed is:
 1. A nucleic acid molecule comprising a first DNAsegment comprising a first transcription unit located between a firstleft T-DNA border region and a first right T-DNA border region, whereinat least one of said first left T-DNA border region and said first rightT-DNA border region is flanked on both sides by and adjacent to a firstand a second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence in oppositeorientation to each other, wherein said first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of asequence of interest within said first transcription unit, and whereinsaid T-DNA border regions are capable of enabling the transfer of saidsegment into a genome; wherein each shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence is at least 21 nucleotides long and comprises at least 21contiguous nucleotides of the sequence of interest.
 2. The nucleic acidmolecule of claim 1, wherein said first and second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences are operably linked to form a transcription unit.3. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, further comprising a promoteroperably linked to said first or second shorter transcribable nucleicacid sequence.
 4. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, wherein saidfirst or second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is operablylinked to said first transcription unit.
 5. The nucleic acid molecule ofclaim 1, wherein said first transcription unit does not comprise atermination sequence.
 6. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, whereinsaid first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences areeach at least 75 nucleotides in length.
 7. The nucleic acid molecule ofclaim 1, wherein said first transcription unit comprises a selectablemarker gene.
 8. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 7, wherein said firstand second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are non-naturalsequences.
 9. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, further comprising asecond DNA segment comprising a second transcription unit locatedbetween a second left T-DNA border region and a second right T-DNAborder region, wherein at least one of said second left T-DNA borderregion and said second right T-DNA border region is flanked on bothsides by and adjacent to a third and a fourth shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other, and whereinsaid third and fourth shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arehomologous to a portion of said sequence of interest within said firsttranscription unit; wherein each shorter transcribable nucleic acidsequence is at least 21 nucleotides long and comprises at least 21contiguous nucleotides of the sequence of interest.
 10. A methodcomprising: a. transforming a plant cell with a nucleic acid moleculecomprising a first DNA segment comprising a first transcription unitlocated between a first left T-DNA border region and a first right T-DNAborder region, wherein at least one of said first left T-DNA borderregion and said first right T-DNA border region is flanked on both sidesby and physically linked to a first and a second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequence in opposite orientation to each other, whereinsaid first and second shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences arehomologous to a portion of said first transcription unit; b. growingsaid transformed plant cell; and c. selecting a transgenic plant cellwhich expresses a sequence of interest within said first transcriptionunit; wherein each shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequence is atleast 21 nucleotides long and comprises at least 21 contiguousnucleotides of the first transcription unit.
 11. The nucleic acidmolecule of claim 1, wherein said first and second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences are capable of being transcribed into a singleRNA molecule.
 12. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, wherein saidsequence of interest is a nucleic acid sequence that causes the targetedexpression or over-expression of an exogenous nucleic acid sequence. 13.The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, wherein said sequence of interestis a protein coding sequence.
 14. The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1,wherein said sequence of interest causes the inhibition of expression ofan endogenous gene via gene silencing.
 15. The method of claim 10,wherein said plant cell is a sugarcane, wheat, corn, soybean, cotton, orcanola plant cell.
 16. The method of claim 10, wherein said transformingis achieved through a bacterial cell selected from the group consistingof Agrobacterium spp., Rhizobium spp., Sinorhizobium spp., Mesorhizobiumspp., Phyllobacterium spp., Ochrobactrum spp., and Bradyrhizobium spp.17. The method of claim 10, wherein said first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are operably linked to form atranscription unit.
 18. The method of claim 10, wherein said first andsecond shorter transcribable nucleic acid sequences are capable of beingtranscribed into a single RNA molecule.
 19. The method of claim 10,wherein said first transcription unit comprises a selectable markergene.
 20. The method of claim 10, wherein said first and second shortertranscribable nucleic acid sequences are non-natural sequences.
 21. Themethod of claim 10, wherein said first and second shorter transcribablenucleic acid sequences are homologous to a portion of a sequence ofinterest within said first transcription unit.
 22. The method of claim21, wherein said sequence of interest is a protein coding sequence.